To Live Or To Drown
by Hannah-Nobody
Summary: When people say that death changes a person, it's not often they are referring to the deceased. But death does, in fact, change those who are no longer living; it can change them into something else entirely. No one knows this more than Lucy, who remembers dying but does not remember living. Now, life after death is nothing but the ocean, and those who fall prey to it. (Mermaid AU)
1. A Twist Of Fate

**A/N: So, this idea came to me, and I thought I would give it a go! I planned it as a one shot but if people enjoy it I may continue it. Lord knows there's a lot of mermaid AU's out there! Anyway's, here goes:**

* * *

The bellies of a pair of ships floated overhead like overly large birds circling their prey from above. Lucy gazed up at them from where she lay on the ocean floor, wondering when the canon fire would begin. Her tail swished idly as she waited, churning the sand beneath her so that it floated into the rays of moonlight that drifted down from the surface.

"What's taking them so long?"

Lucy shifted her eyes to her friend, swimming back and forth in her impatience.

Their anticipation of a shipwreck was not the only difference between Lucy and Juvia.

Juvia had been what she was all her life; a creature of the ocean, thriving in all waters both deep and shallow. She was one of the most graceful of her kind, her long tail, with scales every shade of blue, propelled her through the water with a flourish unlike any other. She loved to swim close to the surface when it rained; her fascination with the droplets from above fascinating others in turn when they saw the look in her eyes as her flowing blue hair floated around her. How the others loved it when she smiled.

Lucy was vastly different. Having died at sea many years ago, the ocean had given her gills, webbed-fingers and a tail instead of oblivion. She remembered when she'd woken in that crystal filled cavern, knowing only her name and that her legs had never been coated with pale pink scales before. It was Juvia that had brought her out of her panic, staying by her side as she mastered the use of her new body, and staying with her even after that. Even when others turned away at the sight of the former human.

"Negotiations," A gruff voice spoke from behind Lucy, "Humans are all bark and no bite."

She turned and saw Gajeel approaching, grinning a sharp toothed grin. If Juvia was the most graceful of their colony of merfolk, Gajeel was the most ferocious. It was easy to lose track of him when he swam amongst the sharks. His tail was a dark grey that blended in with the sharp rocks in choppy shores, and whenever he accompanied Juvia to the surface, he would tease fishermen in their boats while she watched the rain. Letting the dorsal fin on his back protrude from the water as he circled their boat. He was vicious, but he had his own hand in teaching Lucy to survive life at the bottom of the sea, so she welcomed him.

"I can neither confirm nor deny." Lucy grinned as she spun through the water towards the more anxious of her two friends. Her comment had earned a snicker from Gajeel, but Juvia shot her a worried look.

Juvia was the only one within their whole colony that urged her to try and remember her old life. Sure, she could remember fragments. The faces of a couple she suspected might be her parents, the feeling of sand between her toes, the way her stomach had churned as she stood on the deck of the ship that had killed her. Other than that, nothing. And she didn't want to remember. Whatever she had been, whoever she had been, that wasn't what she was any longer. She'd only be frowned upon more if it appeared she yearned to be human again.

Light flashed from above, the sound of the cannon rolling through the water like thunder through the clouds. From down below, it could have been mistaken for fireworks, but they all knew humans were more prone to violence than celebration.

"Finally." Juvia sighed. The muscles in her tail tensed, but before she could cut through the water Gajeel grabbed her wrist.

"Wait." He growled.

His features were angry, and he looked not at the ships but rather straight ahead. Both girls followed his gaze.

Across from them three figures swam into view. Lucy recognised them; Jellal, Ultear and Meredy. They had once been human too, all three of them. It was easy to distinguish who among the merfolk had once been human and who hadn't. The scales of former humans ended at the waist, whereas the scales of a natural born continued on. Most ended at the collarbone, others covered their entire body. Only the natural born had fins as well. Lacking these attributes it was easy to determine that dark forces had pulled them under, bringing them to their untimely death. Unlike Lucy, however, they hadn't been lucky enough to be saved by Mavis.

Seeing them made her stomach churn, _that could have been me, _she thought.

Perhaps dying at sea wasn't so bad, if you were fortunate enough to be saved by Mavis. Those who managed to slip through her fingers did not have an enjoyable afterlife. They were claimed by a much darker colony, one that feasted on the flesh of dead sailors down to the bones. She didn't know what else they got up to, but she did know that they lived in the darkest parts of the ocean, and maybe that alone was enough to turn them into the hostile, mysterious creatures they were now.

They'd encountered this trio before. They'd found Lucy alone once, tried to convince her that all the repulsed glances she got from _those _people would be replaced by loving glances if she was to join _their _people. She'd almost accepted too, they'd seemed so genuine. She would have been across the water with them now if Juvia hadn't found her in time and told her of their true nature.

The group had caught sight of them too, but their stand-off was interrupted when the boats above drew their attention once more.

Their gazes snapped up to see one of the vessels burst into flames, debris landing in the water even far away from the ships. Some cargo from the ship sank, and some bodies too. It was the bodies that spurred them into action.

"Go!" Gajeel snarled.

The three of them propelled themselves towards the surface, their rivals doing the same. She noticed Juvia shoot away, following the direction Meredy was heading in, but she didn't see what the chase was over for she'd already singled out her own target.

Her eyes fixed on a large plank of wood floating on the surface of the water, but it wasn't the dismantled ship that concerned her, it was what was on top of it. Blood streamed down a sailors arm and into the water where their hand floated.

A sinister chuckle sounded close by, and Lucy looked down to see Ultear beneath her. So she wanted the same thing did she?

Lucy looped around in the water, changing her course and heading straight for her unsuspecting rival. Ultear blanched, giving Lucy the opportunity get up close and bare her fangs. She felt her face contort as she unleashed the fierce, hidden side that all their kind had. She raised her hands and bared her talons too, bringing them within an inch of her rival's throat. Ultear soon backed off and bowed her head in submission. Lucy, revered back to her normal state, smirking slightly as she thought, _Gajeel taught me well. _

She turned her attention back to the wreck. Her target had retracted their hand, but the smell of their blood still left a sweet smell in the water.

Slowly, she surfaced.

The sky was red, and filled with smoke. She could feel the heat of the flames on her face, even this far away from the main part of the wreckage, which could only be seen as a blazing silhouette through the smoke. Not even the stars she loved so much were visible through this disaster.

Her eyes came to rest on the body that she'd been looking for. The body that was still very much alive, and staring right back at her.

He was lying on his back on the plank of wood, his breathing coming in heavy gasps. Even in the midst of all this chaos, his onyx eyes still shone. His pink hair was wet, just like the rest of him, matting together on his forehead. He wore no shoes, and his shirt had been torn to pieces, his weapons lost to the sea. His gaze was curious, and slightly disbelieving. Perhaps he believed he was seeing things, most dying men did when they saw her. The angel of death with gills, so it seemed.

She swam closer.

"Prettiest fish I've ever seen." He smirked as her webbed fingers gripped the wood he rested on.

His smirked turned into a laugh, but his humour quickly faded when the laugh turned into a cough that brought blood up from his lungs.

She looked at him with sad eyes.

"I'm sure I'll be fine," he said when he noticed her solemn features, even as he wiped the blood from his chin. Her eyes scanned the rest of his body, and she noticed a large splinter of wood protruding from the side of his ribs. When her eyes met his again, he said: "Oh, that? That's nothing, I've had worse. You think it will leave a cool scar?"

She would have told him the only thing he was likely to get from this piece of wood was oblivion, but she didn't trust her voice. A mermaid's song could enchant any human, making them completely at the mercy of the songstress. It put them in a trance where nothing was felt, only serenity.

She wouldn't sing to him unless she had no other choice.

She leaned across his body, and gingerly grasped at the wood that impaled him. He let out a hiss of pain, and grabbed at her wrist.

"Please- don't." He begged.

Even through the pain there was hope in his eyes. Even when her expression pleaded with him he feverishly shook his head.

"I'm sure it would be a pleasure to be dragged to the depths by you," He wheezed slightly as he spoke, and he curled a lock of her blond hair around the fingers of his free hand, "But I can't abandon my friends."

Something stirred within her heart, and flashes of her own death came back to her. The fear, the loneliness, she'd felt so many things as the water filled her lungs, but bravery or loyalty hadn't been one of them. She made the decision then that she couldn't let this boy die.

Mermaids had a range of powers, some possessed by all, others, only a few had the power to wield. They could give, or they could take. They could steal a piece of your soul, condemning you never to feel love for the rest of your life. They could curse your ship, summon storms, turn the tides. Turn you into one of them, or something else entirely. Enchant you. Kill you.

Or save you.

She lifted herself up onto the board beside him, leaving her tail in the water so it wouldn't dry out. The fire was behind them somewhere, and she could feel the heat of the flames on her back. She felt heat on her cheeks too as his eyes roamed over her body. She crossed her arms over his chest, resting her chin on her hand as she lay on him, careful not to add too much weight.

"Wow, the others sure aren't gonna believe me about this," He laughed before coughing up more blood. As he spoke, she moved her arm and gently trailed her fingers up and down his side, careful to avoid going too near the wood that was draining the life out of him. "I-I didn't think mermaids were real, y'know? Despite everything, I thought it was just a fairy tale. But now I'm happy I was wrong."

She smiled at him, but offered no response. She knew her smile must seem sad, but she felt too bad of what she was about to do to offer him much warmth.

"You know, you look fam-AH." He screamed.

And he kept screaming. She'd grasped at the wood and attempted to pull it out, but it was wedged deeper than she'd imaged. He screamed and screamed as she pulled, almost passing out when it eventually came loose.

Blood gushed from the hole in his side as she threw the shard into the ocean. He tried to sit up to see his wound but the movement only made him cry out in pain, and the blood gush faster. His hands soon found it, and his eyes were full of fear as he saw the blood that coated them when he held them up to his face.

"Now I-I'm gonna die, I'm dead, I'm-"

She cut off his panicked words as she leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, placing her palm over his wound. She'd never done this before, given her kiss to a dying man. Some mermaids could only do it once. Some never gave it to anyone. Some tried to, and failed. She hoped she didn't fail.

His lips were wet from his own blood, but it didn't bother her at all. The taste was so enticing it might have worried her if she wasn't being drowned by another kind of feeling. Drowned all over again. If the taste of the sea repulsed him, he showed no sign of it. In fact, he kissed her back. Harder than she would have thought possible for a dying man. He placed one hand over her own that covered his wound, the other cupped her cheek before he entwined his fingers in her hair. She was as breathless as he was, but he only deepened the kiss, biting her lip as he kept her head held were he could still reach it. She tried to draw away-too long and she may kill him after all- but she was finding it too difficult to stop.

Her other hand rested above his heart, so she felt it when the hammering within his chest became too intense. With an effort, she wrenched herself away from him.

The boy took in a huge gulp of air, colour returning to his face and looking as though he'd just woken up from a dream.

Or was it a nightmare?

She moved her hand from where it had been pressed against his side, preparing herself for the worst. Her hand was covered in blood, but beneath it…

Flesh.

Slightly pink, but perfectly intact, skin.

She breathed a sigh of relief. The boy looked to her before bringing his hand to his ribs. He sat up abruptly when he found no evidence of injury. He struggled for words, and his bafflement made her smile.

He reached out to her and cupped her face in his hands. He brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away tears that she hadn't realised had fallen. He leaned in, and for a moment she thought he might kiss her again, of his own accord this time. But he only rested his forehead against hers.

"Lucy…" He whispered.

Her eyes widened. How did he know her name? She hadn't spoken a word!

"Natsu!" A voice called through the smoke.

Her head snapped up, and she saw the waves parting as the bow of a ship came into view. She looked back to the boy, and his features glowed with happy recognition. He must recognise the voice, which means his name… his name must be Natsu.

The voice called out again, and this time she recognised it to be that of a worried female.

She pulled away from him, casting him one last lingering look even as his own features sank.

"No- Wait!" He called as he reached out.

But she plunged back into the ocean.

She swam down and down, until the wreckage above was nothing but a constellation of debris on the surface of the water.

Looking up, she saw Juvia descending from the wreckage, carrying a body with her.

Once she swam close enough, Lucy noticed the sad expression on Juvia's face. The corpse she carried was that of an elderly man.

"You can't save them all, kid." Gajeel said from behind Lucy.

His voice startled her, he was always lurking in the dark. He carried a large trunk under one arm, clearly this was his loot from the ship. Juvia regarded him weary eyes.

"I could sense the sickness in him. He was going to die soon, and it would have been painful." She looked at the body, but turned away again soon after, squeezing her eyes shut against the image of the dead man's face, "I... I did him a kindness …Didn't I?"

Lucy wondered if drowning would ever feel kind to her.


	2. Hiding

To Live Or To Drown – Chapter Two

_ "Are you some distance from home?_

_ 'My home' replied she 'Is a burden to me,_

_ For there I must live all alone, alone_

_ For there I must live all alone.'"_

_A sweet sorrowful voice carried the song over the crash of the waves on the rocks. Natsu opened his eyes, raising his hand soon after to shield his face from the sun. He was lain on a beach as though he had been washed up._

_That voice…_

_He looked around to find her perched on a rock near-by, the spray of the waves falling on her glistening tail that curled around the rock beneath her. She was facing away from him, her golden hair shining in the sun as her voice sang out to the ocean._

_He stood, unsteady on his feet, and made his way towards her. She continued her song as he waded into the shallow water, coming to a stop when he was just close enough to reach out and touch her._

_ "When I was eleven, sweethearts I had seven,_

_ And then I would look upon none;_

_ But now all in vain I must sigh and complain,_

_ For my true love has left me alone, alone,_

_ My true love has left me alone."_

_He could see her face now. She looked out to the horizon as she sang, a solemn expression on her face. He said nothing, just waited for her to notice his presence. _

_When she did, she turned her head to the side slowly, as if she knew all along he had been there. Her brown eyes flitted over his features but her expression never changed. Not until her eyes moved to something behind him and her brows furrowed slightly. _

_He turned to see what she was looking at and saw a storm over the sea in the distance. All of a sudden, it was as though he was looking through a telescope. He could see directly into the storm and what he saw was sure to make his heart stop._

_He saw a ship, swiftly losing control as the waves assaulted its sides relentlessly. Water crashed onto the deck, sending the crew spiralling. But it wasn't the crew he was worried about._

_Lucy was on the ship._

_She was human and he was sure she was crying from the pained and panicked expression on her face. She was soaked through from the rain, the folds of her dress being whipped around from the wind. She was calling out, saying something, but he couldn't hear her over the thunder. She stumbled across the deck, grasping to the railing for dear life as the storm tossed the ship through the sea. Another wave came and swept the deck, hard. The force of it was enough to break the for-mast, and was most definitely enough to sweep Lucy along with it. _

_He looked to the churning water surrounding the ship, desperately hoping that someone would save her. _

_But she never resurfaced._

_ "Oh! Come back from sea, my dear Johnny, to me,_

_ And make me a bride of your own!_

_ Or else for your sake, my poor heart it will break,_

_ And here I shall die all alone, alone,_

_ And here I shall die all alone."_

_He turned away from the ship and back to Lucy as she sung, but when he looked back to her just as her song had finished, the scene had changed. _

_Instead of seeing his sweet siren singing on the rocks, he saw Lucy as she had been. The sky around her was black with night, all the stars shining brightly like lanterns out at sea. The wind wiped at her hair as she leaned against the balcony of a high building. She was looking over a vast town, her gaze stretching from the port to the sea. She laughed as though he'd said something funny._

"_Maybe we'll meet again after my trip," she grinned at him, her eyes void of all sorrow now, "Wanna go on an adventure, Natsu?"_

He jolted awake with her name on his lips.

He lay there a while in his hammock, swaying with the rocking of the ship. Thoughts of her had plagued him ever since she'd saved him. Lucy then, Lucy now, her face was the same even if the rest of her wasn't.

When she'd first emerged from the water he'd thought he was dreaming, or that death was showing him what his life could never offer. The only girl he'd ever loved. He'd spoken to her as if she were a vision, allowing himself to believe in his fantasies, believe in the fairy tales, even if only for a minute. Because even though he'd been dying it was so nice to see her face again. The girl he'd met in Hargeon all those years ago.

When they'd docked in that city he'd never expected that he would fall for someone there, or fall so fast. He'd seen her from across a busy plaza, and to this day, working up the nerve to go and talk to her was one of the bravest things he'd ever done. They'd only spent a short amount of time together, a few days in fact, but it was enough to know that he'd never met anyone like her before.

Their lives had caught up with them eventually though, and so they'd had to part ways, each boarding their own separate ships heading in different directions. She'd promised to find him again once the business trip with her family was over, but he never saw her again.

He still remembered it as though it had only just happened. The pain he'd felt in his chest when he'd overheard some market stall owner in a city so far away from the one in which they'd met talking about the wreckage that had become of the Heartfilia company's fastest ship. He hadn't believed it, hoped she wasn't on it, but then the man had continued on, saying it was such a same about the loss of that pretty Heartfilia girl.

His friends hadn't known what was wrong with him, he'd been so frantic. He'd never told them about Lucy, had wanted to wait until she could meet them for herself, but she never would. He'd ran off, didn't come back for a long while, no one had knew where he'd gone. Even when he came back, he didn't tell them about her.

And now, years after her death, he found her again. He'd been in the midst of deciding whether his mind had been kind or cruel to conjure up this image of her when she'd kissed him. It was then that he'd known he wasn't hallucinating.

He brought his fingers to his lips as they tingled with the memory.

_What happened to you Lucy? _He thought.

He sighed and rose out of his hammock, throwing a vest on that left much of his chest exposed and tying his scarf around his waist. This part of the world was much too warm this time of year for such accessories, but he never went on deck without it. It was a miracle he hadn't lost in when he'd accidently blown up that enemy ship, but he took it as a small blessing.

The sun hurt his eyes when he opened the hatch to the main deck, but the heat was nice compared to the chilly waters of a few days ago. The crew mild about here and there, but the man Natsu was really looking for was up on the quarter-deck manning the wheel. Captain Gildarts. Natsu rarely took a break from Captaining his own ship- his beloved Fire Dragon- but the few times he did it was mostly to serve under Gildarts, his old friend.

Making his way across the main deck, Gray swung down from the ratlines and fell into step beside him. The dark haired boy was shirtless, as usual, and his torso glistened with sweat from a morning's hard work.

"Enjoy your sleep Natsu?" He asked, "Did the mermaids sing you lullaby?"

Natsu gritted his teeth as Gray strolled away laughing, the sounds of others who had overheard the joke chuckling along with him.

When they'd picked him out of the water that night, amazed that he was still alive, they'd merely laughed and gone along with it when he told them all he'd been saved by a mermaid. They put it down to too much water inhalation, said all that salt water had messed with his head and that he'd be fine once he got some rest. Days later, when he was still adamant that mermaids were real, that's when it had turned into a joke.

He stormed up the stairs and onto the quarter deck, coming to a stop beside Gildarts at the wheel. The man kept a watchful eye on his crew whilst also managing to look out to sea. Tenrou Island painted in the distance.

"All sails to the wind lads!" He called, "I'd like to get home before super!"

His orders were met with a chorus of 'Aye sirs!" before the crew swiftly busied themselves with their duties. Gildarts grinned at the action, he loved being in charge.

"Cana'll be making me dinner tonight," He said to Natsu, but when his second didn't reply he asked, "What's the matter, kid?"

Natsu knew that Gildarts must have guessed fine and well what the matter was, and was only asking to be polite. While others may be ridiculing Natsu, Gildarts had yet to really say anything on the matter. He trusted his old friend to take him seriously, but he was still reluctant to talk about it directly. He didn't know if he was ready to tell anyone about Lucy yet, or if they would even believe him if he did.

"Do you think we get a second chance at life?" He asked the Captain instead, "Like if we die, do you think you can come back as something else?"

"Pffft that's a mighty big question Natsu," Gildarts pondered, scratching his head, "I don't know. Is this your mermaid theory?"

Natsu frowned slightly. Even the word, 'mermaid', it was hard to think about it seriously. Gildarts was right though, this was one of his theories. He didn't know how else Lucy could still be alive. Maybe she was just a different creature entirely and it was a coincidence that it had the face of his former love, but that theory seemed even more unlikely, and he didn't want it to be true.

"No one believes me." He said quietly, never making eye contact with the Captain.

Gildarts sighed, and Natsu saw the older man looking at him out of the corner of his eye but he refused to meet whatever look coated his features.

"Lots of people need to see things to believe them Natsu. Maybe you should ask the master about it when we get back? See if he's heard about anything like this before?"

Hope sparked in his chest.

"Really?" He asked, finally looking up at Gildarts, "You think he might know something?"

"Maybe, maybe not," Gildarts replied, "If you really think that your mermaid wasn't just a waterlogged hallucination, then there's no harming asking. Right?"

* * *

"Mermaids? I would have thought you'd be more interested in the kraken."

Natsu sat across from the Master in the old guild hall. The building had been on this island for centuries, and it was starting to show. The stone walls were filled with cracks, and the roof leaked whenever it rained, but it was home. Tenrou Island had been the home of Fairy Tail's fleet ever since the guild had been formed. Its members consisted of several crews that manned some of the fastest and strongest ships in the world, flying the Fairy Tail emblem with pride.

"_Please, _Gramps, just indulge me." Natsu begged.

Master Makarov sighed, running his hands through his grey moustache.

"Look, Natsu, I heard about what happened after your little ship explosion-" Of course he had. _Everyone _had heard about it once Gray had gotten back to the guild. Even Erza thought it was funny the way he told it. "-And I don't think I should be indulging these wild fantasies of yours. Take a walk around the island to clear your head, that's my suggestion."

"But Gramps-"

"_Take a walk._" The Master growled out. He always seemed so much bigger when he was mad.

Grudgingly, Natsu turned to leave. The jeers of his guild mates didn't go unnoticed as he made his way to the door.

"Oh, and Natsu," Makarov called after him, "Make sure you tour the _whole _island. Don't go missing out any caves or _coves _or what-not."

Some people laughed at the Master's remark but Natsu scrunched up his nose in confusion. What a strange tone. What was he trying to say, go to the sea coves? Why'd he have to be so cryptic all of the time?

He stopped in his tracks. Did mermaids come to the island, and the Master _knew? _Is that why he'd put the emphasis on the sea coves?

Only one way to find out.

Natsu kicked off his shoes and ran towards the beach. Half of him excited for his little adventure, half of him annoyed that the Master couldn't just answer his question. There was a cliff on the south side of the island, and underneath it was a quaint little cove that could only be reached by swimming to it. He and the others had frequented it themselves when they were children, cannonballing off the cliff and then swimming into the cove to pester all the tiny fish that lived there. None of them went there any more though. They were all far too busy.

He decided not to get there by jumping off the cliff this time, he didn't want to scare any innocent by-standing mermaids away. He was much better at climbing now than he had been as a child, so he opted to climb round the side of the cliff. This would allow him to peer into the cove without anyone noticing.

The sun was close to setting just as he reached the side of the cove, sweating slightly from the effort of the climb across the white cliff. The sky had turned different shades of orange and red, making the ocean look as though it were filled with blood in places. Maybe it was. He could hear the water echoing against the rocks as he got into position, but that wasn't the only sound that filled his eyes. He heard crying.

His heart thudded in his chest. _Would it be her?_

Cautiously, he glanced around the corner.

And there she was.

He couldn't believe it, _there she was. _Out of the whole ocean she was _here. _She sat up straight on a rock, just like she had been in his dream. But unlike his dream, she wasn't singing. Instead she was trying to calm her breathing as she wiped tears from her face. Also unlike his dream, and unlike the last time he saw her, she was wearing something.

Pearls. She was wearing pearls. Hundreds of them by the looks of it. They wound around the length of her neck, leaving not an inch of her throat exposed. The garment continued down, covering her breasts but leaving her stomach exposed. A single line of pearls crossed her back, holding the strange piece of clothing to her body but leaving the rest of her back bare. There were even pearls in her hair, which was tied back from her face in a crown of delicate plaits.

She was breath-taking.

He could have stared at her forever she was so captivating, but another matter drew his attention as her tears dried and someone else appeared in the water.

"Afraid of a little celebration?" The newcomer asked.

Only the newcomer's blue-haired head was visible before she emerged from the water, coming to sit beside Lucy on the rocks. The dark blue of her tail made Lucy look so much paler sitting next to her.

"Juvia, what are you wearing?" Lucy laughed, and her laugh was so musical.

But what was she wearing indeed. The blue-haired mermaid wasn't dressed elegantly like Lucy. In fact, she wore a purple shirt, something that a human man would wear. It was much too big on her, the wet fabric hanging loose whenever she waved her arms around.

"Oh, this? Isn't it wonderful! Human clothes are so strange. Am I wearing it right?"

"Erm," Lucy giggled, bringing a hand up to her face to hide her smile, "Juvia, you know that looks like something that once belonged to a man? And not a very well-dressed one at that."

"Of course I know it belonged to man!" The so-called Juvia laughed, "In fact I know just which man! He's so handsome Lucy! I watch him as he walks along the rocks, casting off his clothes. Is that strange?"

Lucy's laughter echoed through the coves, the sound bringing a smile to Natsu's own face.

"Ouch!" he heard suddenly from behind him.

The two mermaid's heads snapped in his direction but he retreated round the corner just before they had a chance to see him. He wasn't alone in his spying any longer. The phantom 'ouch' had come from Gray, who was nursing a cut on his hand from the sharp rocks.

Natsu pressed him back against the cliff-face, slamming a hand over his mouth. Gray resisted, so he backed off a little, but Natsu kept his hand over his mouth. Natsu raised he free hand and brought a finger to his lips, gesturing for Gray to be silent. The dark haired boy looked confused but he nodded anyway. Slowly, Natsu moved his hand away and whispered for Gray to be careful before looking round the corner once more.

Gray joined him, looking over Natsu's shoulder. It was with a smug expression that Natsu turned to see his friend emit a shocked gasp, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.

"Told ya." He whispered to his shocked companion.

"Why is the blue one wearing one of my shirts?!" Gray responded in a high pitched whisper of his own.

"Well, it's not like you ever use them." Natsu snickered, gesturing absently to Gray's naked torso.

The girls still talked idly on the rocks, but there chatter died down a little once the sun began to set. Natsu watched Lucy face the sunset, her features filled with a wistful expression that made his heart ache. Gray still stood watching behind him, and he wondered what it was that fascinated him so much, or if he was just still struggling to believe that Natsu had been telling the truth.

They watched as Juvia placed her webbed-fingered hand over Lucy's and gave it a reassuring squeeze. The two shared a sad smile together before Juvia propelled herself back into the water.

"Are you coming then?" She asked her friend when she resurfaced.

Lucy nodded, posing to spring back into the ocean.

_No, _Natsu thought, _I can't let her get away again._

He jumped out from his cover and called to her.

"Lucy!"

But she was already gone.

* * *

**A/N: So I decided to keep it going! Thank you to everyone who left a review and encouraged me to keep it at, I really appreciate it *hugs you all*. I've figured out most of the plot and so far it looks like To Live Or To Drown will be roughly 15-20 chapters long, but that's just an estimate. Thank you again for all your kind words, I just want you to know that reviews really make my day so never hesitate to leave me a little something ^.^ Hope you enjoyed this chapter and will enjoy the rest of the story I thought up especially for you guys!**

**-HN**

**Ps. I'll be doing my usual reviewer responses next week, I only skipped out on it this week because I just would have been writing 'Thank you, I'm continuing this thanks to your kind words!' and I can only tell you guys how much I love you so many times before it gets annoying. **


	3. Songs & Celebration

To Live Or To Drown – Chapter Three

She turned in the water.

Had someone just called out to her?

She shook her head and continued swimming after Juvia. No, she must be imagining things. Her lack of sleep must truly be taking its toll; she just hoped it wouldn't show, tonight of all nights.

Her eyes still stung a little from crying which only stoked the anger in her stomach further. She'd had to get away, afraid she'd take it out on Juvia or Gajeel, when really the only person she was angry with was herself. All because of some stupid dream…

_Their laughter carried over the sound of the waves. They were alone on the moonlit beach, her and the pink-haired boy. She was barefoot, as was he, the sand shifting beneath their feet as they strolled leisurely by the water's edge. The night air was cold, but the boy who walked so closely beside her emitted warmth like a blazing fire. Their fingers brushed occasionally as they walked, and each time the touch made her skin feel as though it would ignite._

_She wondered if he felt it too._

"_You sailors are all the same," She grinned at him, "You're so in love with the sea you do nothing but sing sad songs about what you couldn't tame whenever you return to shore."_

"_You make the sea sound like a person." He grinned back at her, the wind whipping his rose coloured hair around his face._

"_Maybe it is. Maybe she's a goddess who spurns the love of mortal men, breaking hearts wherever she turns. Breaking ships when someone is foolish enough to try and tame her."_

_Natsu chuckled at her tale, and she wondered what he thought of it. She wrapped her shawl tighter around herself, hoping he wouldn't think her childish for her wild imagination. _

"_You remind me of the sea then," He said softly, surprising her. She tilted her head slightly, befuddled by his statement. He took the gesture as encouragement and continued on, "You do as you please, I think, no one could ever tame you. And with a face like yours, I can only imagine the string of broken hearts you must have left behind you. In fact, I think I see it over there-" he gestured to the sand dunes in the distance "- a grand herd of men tripping over each other in a desperate attempt to win your hand."_

_They stopped walking as she laughed at his words. He watched her laugh with a smile on his face, and something in his eyes that she'd never seen before. His hand came up to her face, tucking a few wild strands behind her ear to stop them from whipping through the space between them. Her heartbeat sped up at his touch, and a blush spread over her cheeks as his hand cupped the side of her face._

"_Maybe sailors will sing sad songs about you one day." His voice was quiet and soft, barely more than a whisper and almost eclipsed by the sound of the waves behind him. His eyes never left hers as he spoke, and she found herself leaning into his touch._

"_Like what?" She asked, just as quietly as he had spoken. _

"_Hhmm," He pondered, and as he did he stepped closer to her, bringing them only inches apart, "Maybe something like…" His words trailed off, and before she knew is he sucked in a breath, titled his head up to the sky and shouted: "FOR HER I SAIL UPON THE WATER, SPEND ALL MY MONEY ON SALLY BROWN-" _

_He likely would have continued the shanty –which she'd mostly heard sung in taverns by very drunk sailors- in his rough, loud interpretation of singing had she not shoved his chest playfully, whispering 'ssshhh' despite the large grin on her face. She shoved him a bit too hard however, and he went tumbling backwards. He grabbed her wrists in an attempt to keep himself upright but only managed to pull her down with him instead._

_They landed with a soft 'thud' in the sand, the two of them laughing together and making no move to disentangle themselves from each other. He had a brilliant laugh. It was so full of life and it always brought a boyish grin to his mouth as his eyes crinkled at the corners._

_She rolled off his chest, choosing to lay by his side rather than crush him with her weight as his laughter died off. She looked up to the dark skies to see it painted with stars. What a perfect night._

_She was just about to point out one of her favourite constellations when Natsu rolled over. He lay on his side right next to her, any closer and he most likely would have been on top of her. He paused for only a moment, looking down at her with that strange look in his eyes again before he leaned down._

_And he kissed her._

_It was soft and sweet and she could feel the heat from his body and it spread a warmth through her, right to her very toes. Or maybe that was the kiss, she couldn't tell. His left hand cupped her face just as it had before, and the fingers of his right intertwined themselves with her own that lay at her side. Her free hand she placed against his chest, right above his heart. She could feel it pounding beneath her fingertips even through the material of his shirt and his scarf. _

_When he broke away, the taste of him lingered and her lips tingled. His thumb grazed across her cheek as he looked down at her, a soft smile on his face._

"_I think I'll be the one singing sad songs about you until I can see you again."_

She remembered waking with tears in her eyes, not that you could cry underwater. Her chest ached and it made her want to tear her hair out, a desire that had been somewhat fulfilled once some servants had entered her resting place and begun the preparation for tonight to make her look her best.

As she and Juvia swam deeper now a scowl coated her features. _What a cruel dream, _she kept thinking. It was as though her mind was working it's hardest to give her a glimpse of what she could never have. It wasn't necessarily the human part that she yearned for, it was more the way the boy had looked at her. No one had ever looked at her like that before, not now, and probably not in her old life either, not that she could remember most of it. She wasn't desirable like those princesses in fairy tales.

She also wondered why it was him, Natsu, the boy who she'd saved, that her mind dangled in front of her. She didn't know him. She wondered if it was a side-effect of her saving him, and if that was also how he'd known her name without her ever telling it to him. Maybe they were linked somehow? If that was true, she may never choose to save someone again. She couldn't bare much more of this pain in her chest.

She dragged herself out of her thoughts as their destination came into view.

Tenrou Island, the island that lay above them, hadn't always been so small. In ancient times it had been a metropolis of sorts, a huge city that people had sailed for miles to visit. Now though, most of it was hidden from the eyes of mortals. An earthquake long ago had torn the island apart, and what ruins had survived now here at the bottom of the ocean. It was here that her colony of merfolk called home.

They swam above the homes of the merfolk, most of them empty now as the colony made their way to the cavernous palace that lay directly under Tenrou Island. The home of their leader, Mavis, and where the celebration was being held.

The celebration in Lucy's honour.

The thought filled her with trepidation. Even now, the people that swam below her looked up at her approach. Their faces held an array of looks, from curious, to leering, to scornful and back again. She dreaded to think what it would be like when she was in the grand hall of the palace.

They drew closer to the palace now, the rocks that constructed it coated with coral and anemone's that glowed vibrant blues and greens, lighting up both the palace and the water. It truly was a beautiful sight to behold. Statues carved into the rock looked down on those who swam beneath it, watching you wherever you went, it would have been eerie if not for the light.

In front of her, Juvia waved excitedly, causing Lucy to avert her gaze from the wonders of the palace to find Gajeel by the entrance waiting for them expectantly. His long black hair was tied up in a ponytail, which would have made her laugh if it wasn't held in place by a dark, sharp looking piece of coral. His bare chest had been painted with intricate designs for the occasion, a spiral picture filled with silver and dark grey.

"Where the hell have you been?" He hollered as they drew closer, "Late for yer own party, eh Lucy? And you-" He turned to Juvia, then blanched, his mouth hanging wide open and revealing his sharp teeth, "-_what the hell are you wearing?_"

Lucy had to bite her laugh to keep from laughing, but Juvia made no attempt to hide her amusement, giggling as Gajeel took in the sight of her. She stretched out her arms and twirled in the water, giving him a full view of her strange human clothes. She looked rather proud of herself.

"Go get changed," Gajeel ordered once he'd recovered from his shock, "Now."

"But Gajeel-" Juvia pouted.

"No buts. This is Lucy's night and we're here to support her, not embarrass her. Now git."

With one final pout, Juvia turned tail and darted through the water, disappearing behind the rocks as she made her way to her guest quarters in the palace.

"You could have at least let her tell you the story behind it." Lucy drawled to Gajeel as they watched their strange friend swim away.

"If it's about that damn stripper on the surface again, I don't _want _to hear it." He retorted.

Lucy laughed as Gajeel turned away and began heading into the palace. She followed him reluctantly swimming has slowing as she dared.

"How you holding up?" Gajeel asked, sensing her nerves. He shot her a look that she knew was concerned, but to others it would most likely look the same as his usual stoic expression.

"Like I shouldn't be here," She sighs, "I don't deserve this."

"You know the drill," he replied, "Everyone gets a celebration held in their honour when they pull a mortal back from the brink, no matter who they are. It's what sets us apart from the _others_."

_The others. _The dark colony's he meant. Mavis's people treasured life as much as they could, whereas their rivals destroyed life at any opportunity they got. Thinking of the dark colony's always made her mind stray to those three they ran into quite often, Jellal, Ultear and Meredy. And now, after tasting blood, her thoughts strayed to them more and more.

She still tasted it on her tongue sometimes, the boy's blood. The memory of it was sometimes more prominent than the kiss itself, and it worried her that she didn't know what had thrilled her more. The power it took to heal him, kissing him, or the taste of his blood.

"Where ya at, kid?" Gajeel asked softly, resting a hand on her shoulder as they stopped for a moment, "You look like you've just seen a swimmin' corpse."

"I _am _a swimming corpse." She reminded him.

"You're not," He shook his head, "You're one of us."

He didn't give her a chance to argue, he merely continued to make his way to the grand hall. She sighed before following him once more.

She did pause, however, when they reached the entrance of the grand hall. It was tradition that the honoured guest entered alone so that they were recognised as the guest that would be receiving Mavis's praise. Gajeel swam in before her, nodding to her before he disappeared from her sight. The guards on either side of the entrance raised their hands to those behind her, asking them to wait a moment while she made her entrance.

Singing drifted in from the grand hall, and she waited until the harmonies subsided to make her entrance, taking deep breaths to calm herself down and praying that her hands wouldn't tremble.

She swam forward just as the singing subsided, pausing in the entrance to wait for their leader's recognition, as was tradition.

The walls inside were just as covered with the luminous plants as outside was. Luminous jellyfish and other creatures also brought light to the giant sea cavern, swimming above the wide array of merfolk that had gathered. Large slabs of stone on the right side of the room were covered in all sorts of food for the guests, and on the left a group of some of the most beautiful mermaids she had ever seen sat in pairs in huge shells of every kind as their voices trailed off their song.

And, right at the back of the room, raised on a shining stone that allowed her to look over her people, sat Mavis on her throne. To look at, she resembled a human child, but she was far more than that. She was the oldest of their colony, the most powerful among them. Her long hair was a vibrant gold that rivalled that of the glimmering scales that coated her tail right up to her collarbone. She wore a silver diadem on her head, her only article of clothing, which let a small emerald hang in the centre of her forehead, emphasising the green of her eyes.

Eyes which now looked to Lucy.

Mavis rose from her throne, never taking her eyes of Lucy. Lucy's heartbeat pounded through her ears as the young leader nodded to her, raising her hand in a gesture for Lucy to come forward.

On a strange instinct, Lucy straightened her back and set her shoulders back before raising her chin and swimming gracefully towards Mavis. As she moved, the crowd parted providing her with a path to swim through. But what shocked her most was the applause. It echoed throughout the cavern, and she was sure someone –probably Juvia- even 'whooped' at her. That caused her to smile which made the applause grow louder.

When she reached Mavis, stopping herself to that she hovered slightly below her leader, the applause died down, and Mavis gestured for the music to continue.

Lucy bowed her head.

"Master Mavis." She greeted.

"Lucy of the Revived," Mavis spoke to her, despite her real age, it wasn't just her appearance that resembled a child, her voice was that of one too, "You do us a great honour."

"I beg your pardon, Master Mavis, but the honour is all mine." Lucy replied, she still bowed to the Master, afraid to look into her eyes.

"Rise child," And Lucy did, albeit reluctantly. When her eyes met those of the Master she found herself lost for words. Yes, Mavis carried a regal air about her, but looking into her eyes Lucy felt as though the Master could see into her very soul. "You are among friends, and yet I sense something troubles you."

Lucy laughed nervously.

"It's all the people Master," she brushed it off, "I was afraid of how they would see me."

"Nonsense, we are all proud of you. Even if it does not seem so, we live in harmony." Lucy couldn't think of what to reply, so she let music wash over her, hoping that the Master would spare her from her strange gaze, but she continued, "That it not what weighs on you though, speak openly."

The Master rested her hand on Lucy's shoulder, and when she looked up the Master's gaze was kind and loving. No one could hear them over the swell of the music from where they hovered by the throne, and she did not want to lie to the Master.

"I-I feel I am wavering," She admitted to the Master, "Since I saved that dying boy I have had the taste of blood on my lips. It stirs something deep inside me, and I cannot shake the feeling that I don't belong here. Even before that, I was between worlds. I cannot walk among the humans, but I fear my own kind do not want me either. I am troubled, Master. I change like the tides."

When she'd finished her confession, a brief moment passed where she feared the Master would shun her. That she would turn away in disgust from her newly acquired taste for blood that she thought was a sign that it wasn't Mavis that should have saved her, but Zeref instead.

Instead, Mavis only pulled Lucy into a hug. It started her, and she didn't know how to react to being hugged by a queen. Did you pat her on the back? Before she could decide what to do, Mavis pulled away, her face filled with a peculiar tenderness.

"We all waver," The Master reassured her, "No person is wholly bad, or wholly good. It is up to us to choose our path. It is not your temptation that shall define you, but whether or not you give into it, and I have faith in you Lucy. You are one of us."

The Masters words seemed to lift some weight off her shoulders, and she was truly grateful for her kindness. She nodded and offered her thanks, the Master giggling at her words before she raised her hand for everyone's attention.

The music stopped and the crowd turned their attention to their leader. Lucy's eyes scanned their faces, finding Juvia and Gajeel waving at her from by the food. Even from this distance she could tell Gajeel had a face full, and it took all her strength not to laugh. Juvia had changed into a sky blue top that hung from her neck and was made of thin fabric that floated in the water. She looked amazing

"We are gathered here today," Mavis's voice captivated the audience, "To celebrate Lucy of the Revived, and her first true act of kindness to the mortal world."

The crowd applauded again, and after a moment Mavis again silenced them. Lucy could feel all the eyes on her but kept herself from fidgeting. She would not disgrace herself.

"Her selfless act saved a life, and tonight we see that life together, as a token of our gratitude."

What did she mean? _We see that life? _Lucy just thought the Master would offer her some kind words and then maybe hold a toast in her name as her rewards. _See that life, _how could she see the boy again, unless someone dragged him to the bottom of the ocean? But no, that would be ridiculous. It would be throwing her efforts back in her face if they merely drowned him, so what did it mean?

From behind the throne, four men emerged, carrying with them a large opal disk. They raised it so that all could see, the crowd reflected in distorted fragments on the disks surface. They held it in place as Mavis swam to its centre. Lucy was sure the whole room sucked in a breath when the Master reached out and touched it.

The surface rippled, and Lucy gasped in awe as the Master swam back to her side.

"See the life that prevails because of you." The Master said to her, but her voice carried and she was sure that everyone could here.

The ripples in the disk began to calm, and something came into view. Not the crowd's reflection but…

It was _him. _

It was the boy, Natsu. Her heart did something strange in her chest at the sight of him. He was flailing his arms wildly, not caring that the drink in his hand was spilling all over the table at which he sat. A dark haired boy could be seen sitting beside him, but Natsu was the focus of the image. Was this as he was now then? All smiles and energy and _life. _She smiled to herself.

She had been right to save him.

Beside her, Mavis let out a small gasp, drawing Lucy's attention from the moving image of the pink haired boy.

"He bares the mark…" The Master muttered to herself.

Lucy turned her attention back to image that was starting to fade. She noticed he had a red mark on his right shoulder, was that what the Master was referring to? She didn't know what it meant, and she was too captivated by his face as he laughed at something to really give it much thought.

It looked just as it had in her dream.

* * *

"Get up," A gruff voice demanded, "Get up!"

Lucy woke to Gajeel's harsh demands, groaning as she turned to face him. She was about to complain that she deserved a rest after her night of celebration but then she saw the look on his face.

"What is it?" She asked, a voice full of worry.

"We have a situation, get dressed." He urged, throwing something at her before he turned to go wake Juvia who slept across the room.

She caught the garments in her hand. It was armour. Not silver or steel like humans, but a rough brown leather.

This meant trouble.

She pulled on the armour as Juvia was awoken, tightening the straps around her mid-section to keep it in place. The armour only covered her torso, but Gajeel had also provided her with leather gauntlets, which she pulled over her arms just as Juvia donned her own armour. Gajeel was clothed for battle too, she noticed. If they were wearing amour that only meant one thing.

They were to do battle with humans.

Gajeel picked up a spear he'd left propped by the door as they left. He wasn't usually one to carry a weapon, and the sight of it unnerved her.

"We got a commotion up top," He explained once they were clear of the palace, the three of them shooting through the water, "Some nasty ass pirates torturing hostages for anyone to see."

"We need to get to them before Zeref's people do," Juvia said, her voice firm but filled with dread, "Otherwise they'll _all_ die."

In an unspoken agreement the three of them picked up their pace.

After a few minutes of both travelling and ascending, the scene came into view. The dark belly of the ship seemed ominous against the surface of the water, but what was far more concerning was the smaller boat beside it. They could see silhouettes struggling through the water just before the surface broke and a girl fell into the water.

Her hands and feet were tied, and her mouth was gagged, not that it made much difference underwater. A hand from above held her under by her blue hair as she struggled.

Gajeel threw his spear through the water without a moment's hesitation, putting enough force behind the throw so that it soared through the water and broke the surface. Lucy heard someone cry out as his spear hit the mark, and the hand that had been holding the girl under water let go.

The fight had seemed to go out of her though as when the hand retracted the girl made no move to swim to the surface. Gajeel swam to her side, placing one hand beneath her knees and the other on her back before he carried her to the surface.

Lucy and Juvia wasted no time of their own, breaking the surface just as he did. Lucy turned to see him remove the gag from the girl's mouth and urging the girl to breathe before she turned her attention away from him and to those who had tried to drown the girl.

She felt her face contort in fury, her sharp teeth springing forth as she offered the shocked pirates a savage grin. There were three of them, the forth having feel into the water after being speared by Gajeel. Really? It took three of them to drown one girl? How incompetent.

She targeted the one on the right who was coated in his companion's blood, launching herself straight out of the water before he had a chance to draw his weapon. Juvia did the same to the one on the left.

She clutched at the man as she fell back into the water, dragging him with her. She racked her talons across his throat, killing him quickly instead of drowning him. You didn't want people like that being revived.

She let go of the body and was just about to rush to the surface for the third man when she heard it.

A gunshot.

She found Juvia's gaze, her eyes frantic just as she suspected her own were.

Gajeel was still on the surface.

The two of them darted to the surface, and when they emerged their fears were confirmed.

Gajeel had shielded the girl behind him, taking the bullet himself. Blood poured from the wound on his shoulder and his face was set in a grimace of pain.

"Levy! Are you alright!?" An orange haired boy shouted from the ship, he was leaning over the railing but he was soon pulled back, his protests cut off by a punch to the face.

_More hostages then, _Lucy thought.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a piercing scream of rage from Juvia. The third man in the smaller boat, the one who had shot Gajeel, covered his ears, which meant he had no way to defend himself as Juvia launched herself at him.

Lucy looked to Gajeel to see if he was alright, but before she could help him in any way he jutted his chin towards the ship. She nodded and propelled herself at the side of the ship, clawed fingers finding purchase in the wood, allowing her to scale the side of the ship.

One of the crew rushed to great her, dagger in hand, as she heaved herself over the railing. She screamed as Juvia had before, the sound harsh enough to draw blood from the ears of the man that had dared to attack her. He stumbled forward and Lucy took him by the throat, using his own momentum as leverage to throw him over the side.

"Captain there's a ship approaching!" Someone called from above.

Lucy took out another crew member as one of the hostages laughed.

"That's not just any ship!" The boy laughed, "That's the Fire Dragon!"

A sharp pain shot through Lucy's head as she heard the name, causing her to narrowly miss a sword to the ribs. Natsu's face flashed in her mind. _Now is so not the time! _She thought desperately. The whole crew were coming at her now, stalking forward with malicious grins on their faces.

"Sing Lucy!" Juvia called from the water.

"But the other ship-" she called back as she looked over her shoulder to see the red sails growing closer every second.

"Doesn't matter kid!" Gajeel interrupted her, "We got no choice, now do it."

She gripped the railing under her in frustration. Singing would send the approaching ship spiralling out of control as well once it got too close. She hated watching sailors throw themselves into the water in search of her voice, but here she had no choice. Her friend was injured and there was too many for her and Juvia to take on alone.

She sucked in a breath and she sung.

"I said to my true love, I shall see you no more,

So farewell, my dearest, you're the lad I adore…"

The words came from her from a distant memory, she couldn't tell if it was from her old life or the new. It was a sad song, called The Drowned Lover, but she didn't question it as it strung from her lips.

The faces of both the crew and the hostages on board went slack, their eyes glazing over as her voice enchanted them. The man closest to her reached out as though to caress her face. She reached out to him too as she sung, holding his haggard face in his hands and though she planned to bring him in for a kiss.

She snapped his neck.

She continued singing, and the others didn't even blink as they stepped over the body of their fallen comrade.

"My joys are all ended, my pleasures are fled…"

The song was coming to its end, but she planned to pick it up with another where it left off. Without the worry of the crew attacking her she looked to the approaching ship. It was veering off course slightly, but no one had thrown themselves over the side yet, unlike this ship, which only had half its crew remaining. The hostages had managed to throw themselves over the side too, but Juvia, who remained in the water below, saved them both from drowning.

Fast paced footsteps on the deck made her turn. A blur of red grabbed her and pulled her onto the deck, turning her song into a primal scream just as she felt the edge of a blade press against her throat. In her periphery, she could see the crew shaking off the effects of her singing, but the crew member that pinned her to the floor had been completely unaffected.

Because she was a girl.

A girl with unsettling red eyes that matched her long red hair, both reminded Lucy of blood. The girl grinned and laughed a manic laugh as she pressed the dagger harder to Lucy's throat.

"No more lullabies for you, Blondie."

* * *

**A/N: I now officially have a website full of sea shanties in my bookmarked folder just for this fic. Who would have thought it? So here's chapter three! Sorry about the wait but I hope you guys enjoy it all the same. As you have probably have guessed by now, the chapters switch perspectives each time. That means you can look forward to some Natsu next chapter!**

**Thank you again for all your support. You may or may not have seen the update on my profile so for those of you that don't know, I'm going through some stupid stuff right now hence is why updates may take a little longer than usual. I'm really sorry for any inconvenience caused but I hope you can forgive me!**

**Much love,**

**-HN**

**PS. I wrote a little something for angst week, and if you're interested you can read it here (**** post/118020203822/broken)****. Please tell me what you think if you chose to read it!**

* * *

_**Reviewer Responses:**_

_**Nachii Moonfilia: Thank you, and I do plan to keep this up! This is my favourite piece of writing I've written in a long time! Ooo sorry for keeping them apart! Hopefully it will make for a sweeter reunion, right?**_

_**Fooster26: I'm glad you like it! Sorry for the delay :D**_

_**The-Rosette-Wold: aahh! Let me hug you! You are too kind, I can't thank you enough!3**_

_**Dark Shining Light: Who says they haven't hooked up already? You'll have to wait and see! *evil face* Thank you, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**_

_**Athena8283: Thank you, I'm trying my best!**_

_**Lollilollicandypop: Wow! That's a major compliment that you liked my story enough to change your perspective, I can't believe it *squeals* I hope you continue to enjoy it.**_

_**Space Dust: Thank you! I'm super excited to continue it and I'm glad you like it.**_

_**Ineptia: Thank you thank you thank you! Please don't burst, there's still more to come! I'm super glad you liked it though.**_


	4. Wounds

To Live Or To Drown – Chapter Four

"I'm _serious _guys, he's telling the truth!"

Natsu sighed as he watched Gray undergo the same treatment he had when he'd begun spouting tall tales of mermaids. Although he appreciated the sentiment of Gray's attempt to prove that he wasn't crazy, it seemed fairly pointless to try convince their guild mates otherwise without any proof.

After Lucy and her friend had disappeared back into the water, the two of them had returned to the guild hall. Gray stumbling along in wonder while Natsu sulked behind him. He couldn't believe he'd let her slip through his fingers again.

Luckily for Natsu, Gray had assumed correctly that Lucy was the mermaid that had saved him, but didn't inquire as to how he knew her name. When the dark haired boy hadn't pried, Natsu was grateful that he could keep his former lover a secret for a little while longer. He'd tried to talk about it before, to the Master once, but the moment he'd felt the lump in his throat and the pain in his chest he'd given up. Those four days he'd spent with Lucy, and his time alone after she died, remained a secret from his guild mates, and he wanted it to stay that way for as long as possible. His inner demons weren't something he wanted the world to see, no matter how close he was with his guild mates.

"You feelin' sorry for him Frosty Pants?" Gildarts called from the bar, "Or did he beat you in a fight and is making you take back your jokes in exchange for not telling anyone?"

"Please, as if he could beat me in a fight." Natsu smirked once he managed to pull himself from his thoughts.

He drowned out the sounds of Gray's protests as he took a swig of his rum and cast his eyes around the guild. The Master was still nowhere to be found, which Natsu found suspicious. Makarov just so happens to point him in the right direction in his search for _mermaids _and then conveniently disappears? What was that old man up to?

All around him his guild mates overflowed with life, their shouting and laughter filling the room. By the bar he could see Alzack and Bisca drawn to each other like magnets. A light blush coated Bisca's cheeks and Natsu had to look away when her partner leaned down to kiss her. It was times like this when he took a moment to take in all the life around him that he felt the hole in his life where Lucy should be.

Times like this he should really lay off the rum.

"It's no use, we're gonna have to catch one." Gray said as he sat down beside Natsu with a beer of his own.

"What?" Natsu frowned.

"A mermaid. Catch one. They'll never believe us otherwise.

Natsu stared in bewilderment at his friend for a moment before laughing in his face.

"What?!" Gray demanded, "Don't you want to find the one that saved you?"

"_Find _her, not catch her," Natsu replied once he'd regained his composure, "And I sure as shit don't need your help to do it."

"Fine. Be that way," Gray scowled before chugging his beer, "Pretty sure that blue one would come running to me anyway. Most women do."

"How is she going to run to you with a tail?" Natsu scoffed.

Gray's words made him think though. He didn't care about finding the mermaids to prove a point to his guild mates, he wanted to find them so he could find Lucy. But the question remained; even if he did find her, then what? She wasn't human anymore. They couldn't have any sort of life together that he'd dreamed of. At best, she'd swim by the ship as he sailed the seven seas, but even then they'd be worlds apart.

He sighed and stood, making his way to the bar where he returned his glass before ordering another bottle for the road. Mira, the elegant white-haired barmaid, cast him a sad glance.

"Early night?" She asked.

Mira unnerved him sometimes. She seemed so attuned to people's emotions. He still remembered the first time he'd came back to the guild after Lucy's death. The second he'd sat down at the bar, Mira had asked him who'd broken his heart. He'd avoided both her and her sister for a month.

"Stuff to do y'know. Ships to captain, adventures to plan…" He trailed off.

"Mermaids to find?" She finished for him as she handed over a bottle of rum.

His brows furrowed as he picked up the bottle. He saw what she was doing; trying to get him to talk while his tongue was still loose from the liquor. He tapped a finger to his nose before turning to walk away.

"Just don't go throwing yourself into the ocean to find them!" She called after him.

"Good night Mira!" He waved without turning.

The warm night air met him as the guild doors closed behind him. The night was clear as he made his way down to the beach and to his ship. He could see the stars shining and had to shake the memories they brought with them from his mind, choosing instead to open the bottle he'd brought.

He titled his head back and took a large swig of the burning liquid, smiling at the taste and the sight of his ship. The Fire Dragon was a two-masted schooner with red sails that billowed in the wind, the fastest of the Fairy Tail fleet. It was his pride and joy; he'd rebuilt it from a wreckage with his father. There were few things he treasured more than his ship.

As he made his way up the wooden dock where his ship was anchored he noticed the silhouette of his closest friend strolling along the ships railing. The silly blue cat barely ever left the ship, but Natsu was always thankful for Happy's company on long journeys. That and he kept any rats out of the food supply.

He picked up the little blue cat as he boarded the ship, supporting Happy with his arm as the cat rested against his stomach. Natsu strolled leisurely across the deck, coming to rest against the starboard railing. He placed his bottle on the railing as he lit a nearby lantern, careful to keep it away from the flammable liquid. Happy emitted soft purrs as Natsu idly scratched his back whilst he gazed out to sea.

She was out there, somewhere. Lucy. _His_ Lucy. The love of his life that he'd lost and found again. It hurt that it seemed she didn't remember him. He wasn't naive enough to think she'd recognised him that night she saved him, but something must have drawn her to him. _Something. _He wasn't sure if he believed in fate, but it felt like something more than the temptation of a memory that was hidden deep inside of her.

And what if her memories were hidden away? If he found her again, wouldn't making her remember just cause her more pain? She'd already died, dragging up memories that would remind her of a life she could never have seemed a poor way to show her he loved her. Even if she could remember, it was farfetched to believe she would fall for someone like him twice.

He rubbed a hand across his tired face as he sighed. Dwelling on the matter would do him no good, it was better he got some sleep. He deposited Happy back on the deck and picked up the lantern and the bottle before retreating to his captains quarters.

* * *

The sound of footsteps on the deck echoed through his cabin as he struggled to open his eyes. His head was pounding with the after-effects of the rum and his rising anger that someone had decided it was perfectly alright to board his ship without permission. He shared a glance with Happy before he rolled out from his bed.

Natsu didn't bother to put a shirt on. He merely tied his scarf around his head and picked up his cutlass from where it lay still seethed on the floor. The ruckus continued as he made his way to the door. Happy remained on the bed unconcerned as Natsu strapped his sword to his side.

He opened the door to see a small figure standing in the blinding light, their arm raised as though they were about to knock. Once his eyes adjusted to the light, Natsu realised it was Wendy that stood before him, a shy smile painted on her lips.

"Hi." She greeted once she'd lowered her hand.

He pushed passed her wanting to see what all the noise was about. As he ascended the stairs he looked around to find his ship full of people, busy people. The red sails were being unfurled and the anchor hoisted up.

"What the hell's going on?" Natsu demanded, turning back to Wendy.

The girl pushed a stray lock of her dark blue hair behind her ear and opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Erza. Clad in all her armour even despite the heat, she was almost blinding to look at.

"We received word that team Shadow Gear is in trouble, now are you going to help or do I have to be the one to captain your ship?"

He nodded in understanding before heading to the wheel, shouting orders as he went. The swiftly assembled rescue party that had hijacked his ship consisted of twelve people. Wendy and Gray he could see scaling the ratlines, while the three Strauss siblings pulled at the ropes that would unfurl all the sails to their full width. Max and Cana worked together to hoist the anchor, and Natsu could tell by the look on Cana's face that she'd probably drank more than he did last night. The Raijinshu busied themselves preparing the canons as their leader came to stand on Natsu's left, Erza standing on his right.

"Bird flew in this morning with a message from the team," Laxus explained as the ship got going, "They sighted one of Raven Tails ships and that seems good enough a reason to set sail as any."

It made sense to Natsu that they'd all decided to hop aboard the Fire Dragon, it was Fairy Tail's fastest after all. Using his ship they'd get to their friends in no time. Erza sited off team Shadow Gears last known coordinates and Natsu adjusted their course accordingly. He hoped they'd be able to hold those Raven Tail bastards off long enough.

The relationship between Fairy Tail and Raven Tail had started out as nothing more than a bitter rivalry between a father and son, but it didn't take long for Raven Tail's fleet to go far beyond a mere family feud. Their ships attacked any they came across, claiming the cargo as their own. They looted any ship, be it military, merchant or civilian. Their crimes had grown steadily worse over the years. Nowadays the guild made their money stealing relics and rarities; shipping them to Tortuga to sell to the worst people at the highest prices.

The wind was in their favour and it wasn't long before Raven Tail's ship came into view. The Alexei wasn't hard to miss, the ship was a black smudge blotted on the blue horizon. A dingy floated empty in the water beside the ship, and Natsu was sure he saw a flash of pale pink dart up the side of the vessel before a sharp sound filled his ears from a distance.

The whole crew flinched.

"What the hell…" Erza mumbled from beside him.

"Prepare for battle!" Natsu called to his crew.

Whatever that noise was, it didn't sound good. It was primal and aggressive. He was grateful they were some distance away, the sound carried over the wind must be much harsher close up.

The crew on deck readied themselves, each of them positioned by a cannon or a gun. Gray and Wendy remained up on their perch on the main top mast, on the lookout but ready to swing down if needed. The tension rolled through Natsu's own body as he prepared for a fight.

And then, all the tension went out of him.

A voice was being carried across the waves from Raven Tail's ship. A beautiful, enchanting voice that sung a sorrowful song he recognised.

"Lucy…" He whispered.

Her voice was calling to him, it called to his very soul. That song, he'd sung it to her once, he remembered. But this time the memory didn't bring him pain, it filled him with hope because she was _here _she was singing for _him _she was calling to _him_.

He let the wheel slip from his fingers as the rest of the world became a muted blur. All that was left was her voice, and the ocean between them. He needed to get to her.

"Natsu! Natsu what is wrong with you, what are you doing?!" He heard Erza shout at him from somewhere far away.

He brushed Laxus aside, the tall blonde man swaying slightly on his feet as his eyes fixated on something in the distance. On the deck, Max, Bixslow, and Elfman seemed just as enraptured, standing there like zombies. Cana waved a hand in front of Max's face, but he didn't react. Lisanna grabbed her brother by the shoulders and shook him but he merely pushed her aside before walking slowly over to the railing just as Natsu was.

Above him he heard a scream. It was loud enough to distract him from his trance for just a moment. He turned his head to the sky and saw Wendy dangling from a rope and gripping on to Gray by his foot as he flailed in mid-air.

"_O I am contented to lie by thy side._

_ And in a few moments this lover, she died."_

Natsu's heart lurched. _Lucy. _He let her voice fill his ears. He needed to get to her, not the others, _him. _Couldn't they see it was him she was calling to?

He turned to Laxus who had followed him down the stairs to the main deck. As though he was watching from a distance, he felt his arm swing and his fist connect with the older man's jaw. Laxus fell to the ground.

"What the hell is going on with them?" He half heard Freed call to the others as he dived on top of Bickslow.

The ship had veered off course slightly, so he'd have to jump over the railings of the portside in order to swim to Lucy. She must be on Raven Tail's ship. He wouldn't let those bastards touch her.

He began his sprint across the deck, Erza realising his intentions from where she'd taken control of the ship. She called out for someone to stop him, but Freed and the girls were all otherwise engaged in stopping the others from throwing themselves overboard. He kept running.

And stopped in his tracks when her song was cut off with a scream.

The momentum from his sprint sent him crashing into the railings, but not toppling overboard. The impact helped clear his head and he shook the last effects of the trance from his mind. Around him, he saw Laxus, Elfman, Max and Bickslow do much the same. Although it looked like Laxus was a bit confused as to how he'd ended up on the ground. Above him, Natsu heard Gray let out a frightened yelp at his own predicament.

"Natsu!" A voice called.

The voice had come from below, and when Natsu cast his sights down into the water he saw Levy and… _an injured merman? _

The merman had long dark hair that stuck out every which way. Muscled arms studded with metal carried Levy through the water even as she pressed a blood coated hand to her rescuers shoulder. When they reached the side of the ship, the man lifted Levy high enough so that she could find purchase and scale the side of the ship. The merman tried to follow but let out a growl of pain when he tried to hoist himself up, not able to bare his weight with his injured shoulder.

The others rushed to the railing to help Levy and her rescuer up as Natsu noticed someone else in the water; Lucy's blue-haired companion from yesterday. She was pulling a sputtering Jet and Droy through the water, swimming on her back in order to keep the two of them afloat. Gray dived into the water from above to help Juvia with her burden.

"I told you!" Gray grinned as he hauled a stunned Jet over the railing and into the midst of the equally as stunned crew, "Natsu told you, I told you, but you didn't believe us!"

"Do you believe us now?" Natsu turned to the crew and asked as Juvia and Droy fell onto the deck.

The others merely starred at Gajeel and Juvia with mouths agape and nodded in silence.

Wendy had come down from above and managed to overcome her initial shock enough to help Levy patch up her saviours wound. The bullet hole in his shoulder oozed crimson blood down his scaled chest and pooled on the deck where he lay. Juvia had pulled herself to her companion's side and now rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

Another scream tore through the air.

_Lucy, _Natsu thought as he was jolted back into reality.

He rushed back to the wheel, calling orders as he went. The movements of the crew were slow, some of them still transfixed by the otherworldly beings on their ship.

"C'mon! Snap out of it!" He called to them in rage, "Get me more speed."

The Alexei was turning away from them in the water. Raven Tail were planning to make a swift getaway and he was _not _going to let that happen while Lucy might still be on the ship.

But the crew weren't moving.

"Natsu, what's the problem?" Erza asked calmly. Her hand was still raised in a gesture for the crew to stop. Just who was the captain here?

"They're getting away!" He seethed.

"Let them get away. We retrieved our friends, that's what we came here to do."

Anger boiled inside him. No. _No_. He wasn't going to lose her again.

"It's _him_." He heard Juvia gasp, but her companion was too absorbed in his pain to respond to her.

Natsu ignored Juvia's statement, he didn't know what she meant and he was becoming frantic. He needed to save her. That second scream had been more harrowing than the first. He ran to the front of the ship, as though that would somehow bring him closer to their quickly fleeing opponents. They were going to lose them if they didn't move soon.

He made his way back to the wheel, aware that the whole ship was witnessing his growing anxiety. Erza stepped in his way but he pushed her aside. A bad decision. An iron grip clasped his arm.

"_Didn't you hear her screaming?_" Natsu asked in a desperate plea for her to let him go.

Let him go so he could save her. Let him go so he could redeem himself for not being able to save her the first time. Let him go so he could see her, even just one more time. Couldn't Erza see that he was _begging _her to let him go? The pain would tear him apart if he didn't.

"Hear who screaming Natsu?" Erza whispered as her other hand grasped his shoulder.

Even now when they could see his pain written plain on his face he didn't know how to explain it. He must seem mad. What if they simply put it all down to Lucy's earlier spell and forbade him from going? How could he possibly explain to them that he didn't want to let the girl he loved die _twice_?

"I will go." Juvia offered, and when Natsu looked to her the blue mermaid was readying herself to leap over the railings.

"No," The merman said through clenched teeth, grabbing his friend by the wrist, "You can't go alone and I can't go like this. We need reinforcements."

"Gajeel…" Juvia moaned, tears forming in her eyes as she realised the truth in his words.

"Lucy can take her of herself for a little while." Gajeel said with a soft expression, his eyes showing his true worry.

Natsu thought his heart had already been broken but he swore he felt it shatter even now. They couldn't just give up on her! He'd save her even if he drowned in the process.

He pulled free or Erza's grasp, storming back to the wheel. She followed him, a stream of questions pouring from her lips. Who is Lucy Natsu? Why do you want to save her? Why do you _need_ to save her? Why Natsu?

The torrent of questions showed no signs of stopping and each one was like a knife to the chest. He couldn't take much more of this. Couldn't they just help him?

"BECAUSE I LOVE HER." He eventually snapped.

The whole crew, every single one of his team mates, looked at him with expressions of complete shock. Natsu Dragneel? In love? Surely not. The merfolk regarded him with curious gazes, but didn't seem shocked.

The tears had finally broke free and he could feel them flowing down his cheeks, his breathing coming in shaky pants.

"I love her," He repeated, barely a whisper this time, "I loved her a long time ago and I still love her now. I lost her once, I won't lose her again."

"What do you mean you lost her once?" Gray asked, breaking the silence that had followed Natsu's statement.

"She died," Juvia answered for him, and Natsu was grateful. He clutched at the wheel as he tried his best to keep himself somewhat composed. Seeing the confused glances, Juvia continued; "Lucy was human once, unlike Gajeel and I. She died at sea and became one of us. I believe your friend, Natsu, knew her when she was alive."

"Is that why she saved him?" Mira asked, "Because she loves him?"

He noticed Juvia cringe inwardly, and knew the moment he saw the sad look in her eyes what was coming next.

"No," Juvia admitted, "Lucy doesn't remember her human life."

The words hit him just as The Alexei reached the horizon, and he fell to his knees. His hands still clutching at the wheel. He felt a hand on his shoulder but shrugged it off without turning to see who offered their comfort. They were stood here discussing his past as though it were some sad story when they should be doing everything in their power to go after Lucy.

She deserved to be saved whether she remembered him or not.

"Can we go now?" He hissed, the silence beginning to make his head ring.

The sound of footsteps alerted him that the crew had seen fit to start moving again, preparing the ship for the voyage. But not the voyage he wanted. He knew they were heading home when Laxus pried his hands from the wheel.

When he gathered the strength to stand he descended to the main deck. Gajeel and Juvia stared at him apologetically when he paused at the base of the steps. The grey-scaled merman scowled as he turned away from Natsu. He shrugged off Levy and Wendy who were still bandaging his wounds and attempted to move before they shoved him back in place.

"Juvia," He ordered instead, "Go. Tell Mavis and get reinforcements, then meet us back at Tenrou."

Juvia nodded, her features set with determination. Natsu watched as she cast a strange look in Gray's direction before climbing the railing and diving back into the water, disappearing from their sight and into the deep.

He made eye contact with Gajeel again just as the wounded rescuer spoke up.

"We'll get her back."

* * *

**A/N: So chapter four is here sooner than expected! I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you again for reading and please leave a review!**

**Much Love,**

**-HN**

* * *

_**Reviewer Responses:**_

_**SwiftingSwift13: Thank you! I hope this is soon enough for you!**_

_**YoTengo-IaNaranja: Well then I'm glad you found it! Thank you so much, you're so sweet! Ily too amazing reader! :D**_

_**Footster26: Glad you liked it!**_

_**The Siege: Yeah, I've never really pictured sirens like that. To me it's too similar to harpies tbh, and I picture sirens more like water spirits. The singing seemed like a good quality to give them in order to portray their more predatory side if you get me? I'm really glad you like the story, sorry the Fire Dragon didn't get there in time!**_

_**Dragonspirit996: Thank you so much, I'm glad you found it too!**_


	5. Leaving A Drowned Girl To Burn

To Live Or To Drown – Chapter Five

Leaving A Drowned Girl To Burn

The other members of the crew laughed as the red-haired girl dug the knife into Lucy's throat. Her own webbed fingers clutched at the girls wrists in a desperate attempt to alleviate the pressure of the knife against her wet skin, but her efforts were futile. She could feel a bead of blood slide its way down her collarbone.

"Now, now, Flare," A man drawled as he stepped to the front of the crowd, "Let's keep her alive, shall we? It's more money for us and just as fun."

The man who had spoken had dark skin and a thick black beard. His fancy attire and commanding tone told Lucy that he was the captain of this diabolical crew. The girl- Flare – moved to hold the knife to her throat from behind her in order for her captain to get a good look at their catch. The feeling of his eyes on her made Lucy want to gouge them out. He chuckled deep in his chest as she squirmed under his gaze.

She bared her fangs and hissed at him. Some of the crew tipped their heads back in laughter, others gripped at their weapons. But the Captain merely raised his brows, something sparking in his leering gaze.

"Put her by the other one." He ordered Flare, gesturing with his head to the deck behind him.

_The other one? _Lucy thought frantically. No, surely they hadn't gotten Juvia too, they couldn't have! Her mind raced as Flare took a fistful of her blonde hair and dragged her across the deck. Lucy struggled to get free, desperately clawing at her captors hands, but her efforts didn't even provoke a gasp of pain.

"My name is Captain Ivan Dreyar," The Captain spoke as Flare threw her down onto the deck by the mainmast, "Welcome aboard The Alexei."

She hadn't even the chance to push herself into a sitting position when she felt a brutally sharp pain shoot up her tail. She let out an agonised scream, turning to see a knife that had been sunk into the deck, straight through the membrane of the end of her tail. She didn't even remember dying being this painful. It _burned. _Her breath came in strangled pants. Every time she moved even an inch the pain blazed anew. She put up no resistance as Flare stripped her of her armour.

"I'm sure you're curious as to why that hurts so much," Ivan drawled smugly as Flare attempted to reach under her and unbuckle the straps crossing her stomach, "It's an iron knife, that's why. Iron's said to repel fairies, but mermaids are merely the fairies of the sea, are they not?"

The crew that hadn't dispersed to ensure the ship made a swift exit offered another round of chuckles to their captain. Lucy contemplated singing once more but didn't think she could manage it through the pain as even more iron was used against her. Flare shackled her left wrist as if the knife embedded in her tail wasn't enough to keep her in place. She closed her eyes against the pain, but even in the darkness it was still there.

"Sing, and I cut out your tongue." Flare whispered to her even as she continued to gag the pinned mermaid.

"Come, let's leave them to dry out. Let us celebrate out victory!" The captain cheered and his crew roared back at him in triumph.

She could feel the ship making its retreat. The Fire Dragon making no attempt to attack it. _As long as they're safe, _Lucy thought as the pain shot through her, _as long as they're safe._

But there was someone that wasn't safe. _Put her by the other one. _Who else had they captured? Her eyes were still squeezed shut in her attempt to ignore the pain. When she opened them, even though the haze of her tears it was unmistakable who her fellow captive was.

"Lucy…" she coughed.

It was Ultear.

The dark haired mermaid was chained just as she was, but she wasn't gagged. Dark purple bruises formed a ring around her throat, making Lucy suspect that she was too injured for the pirates to fear her singing.

"We should," She wheezed, "Settle our… Differences. Kill… The crew."

She reached out her hand to remove Lucy's gag, but no matter how much the two of them stretched they were just out of each other's reach. They slumped in defeat, Ultear's breathing coming in hoarse pants.

Admittedly, Lucy would have liked to avoid killing the whole crew. She'd sing if could, and use their distraction to escape back into the ocean. But she doubted as members of the crew scurried past them, all the while shooting them leering glances, that they'd get the opportunity to successfully execute such a plan.

Lucy lay there as the sun's rays pricked at her skin like needles. She hoped that Gajeel would recover from being shot, and she had no doubt that he'd gotten the girl to safety. He may seem threatening, but he was a real teddy bear underneath all that metal-stuffed bravado.

Juvia on the other hand was very much the reverse. She was sweet but shy, hardly ever finding the need to raise her voice. But when provoked- gods. Lucy pitied the fool that crossed Juvia. She was lethal when defending those she loved and fighting for what she believed in.

The thought of her friends made her heart ache. It had only been a few hours but she missed them terribly. She wanted to find her own way out of this mess so her friends wouldn't have to put themselves in danger as she knew they would if they couldn't get the support of the colony.

No, Lucy refused to be the damsel in distress. They had their differences, but she needed to get Ultear out the clutches of these horrid pirates too. They'd work together. They were powerful ocean dwellers! How hard could taking down a few dirty sailors be?

* * *

Apparently, it was very hard.

Days later and the two mermaids still hadn't managed to free themselves. Lucy had failed to predict how much being out of the water would affect them. She could feel the skin on her back peeling and the skin on her arms was pink and inflamed. They were being roasted alive on this deck. She didn't know how Ultear was feeling but it couldn't have been much better. They'd gagged her as well after she'd continued to try and talk despite being beaten.

Even if she hadn't been gagged, it turned out Ultear did not have an affinity for voice enchantment. Different merfolk possessed different skills, not everyone could utilise their voice as Lucy could. Some were much better with marine life or even elemental magic. Others practiced healing or fighting, the latter being the most popular affinity among Zeref's people Lucy presumed.

And so, they'd had no choice but to lie on the deck of The Alexei and burn. The pain was excruciating. She lay with her head in her arms, trying to keep her face from the sun but it was no use. Every inch of her skin had fallen victim to the blistering heat and it pained her every time she moved. To make matter worse, the knife was still embedded in her tail and she was sure it was becoming infected. The days were warm but the nights were cold, whenever she woke from her fitful dreams her body felt as though it was still lying in the sun despite the cool night air.

Beside her, Ultear moaned as she woke from her own troubled sleep. They hadn't been fed at all during their time held captive, the results of which was clear when looking at Ultear. Her features were gaunt, her fingers bony and her ribs were visible enough to count. Clearly going so long without indulging in human flesh was taking its toll on the mermaid. Ultear also still had bruises from her countless beatings that made her skin match the colour of her tail.

The two mermaids shared a glance as Flare scrubbed the deck close by. Lucy had noticed that the girl had been shooting them glances as she worked, but she couldn't quite be sure of the look on her face. Sometimes it looked like concern, other times, fear. She had no idea what was running through the girls mind.

They watched as she stood, her red hair falling in front of her face as her eyes scanned the desk. She stepped back and moved to turn, but her foot clashed with the bucket and sent the water splashing across the deck.

Right into Lucy and Ultear's faces.

The two of them sagged a little in relief. The soapy water was the first bit of crucial hydration either of them had gotten in days. The wetness on her skin was such a welcome reprieve from the heat that Lucy felt sure she would have shed a tear if she had the means to do so.

"What are you doing?" Roared the Captains second, Obra, "They'll regain their strength you fool!"

Lucy watched as Obra stormed towards Flare, the hulking man that he was. Not including the Captain himself, of all the crew Lucy hated him the most. The hook-nosed pirate often taunted Ultear and herself, seeming to find great pleasure in their torture and distress.

He didn't withhold that pleasure from himself now as he approached Flare and backhanded her right across the face. The girl went flying, and even when she cowered on the floor begging for mercy he did not relent. The worst thing about being forced to watch the girl's punishment was that Lucy was sure the incident hadn't been an accident.

Flare had tried to help them.

Once Obra decided he'd had his fun, he left Flare beaten and bloodied to return to his duties. Whatever those were. Flare coughed and blood splattered across the deck she'd just scrubbed clean. The girl whimpered before standing on shaky legs to go refill the bucket and start her chores anew.

Lucy looked to her fellow prisoner, but she could detect no sympathy for the girl from Ultear. The dark-haired mermaid turned away when Flare returned, refusing to acknowledge her small act of kindness.

The sound of tears hitting the deck didn't go unnoticed by Lucy though. She tried to get the girls attention, reaching out her unchained hand. She scraped her nails on the deck slightly to draw her attention and when Flare looked around Lucy made a decision the second she saw the blood trickling from a cut on her lip.

She stretched out her hand further, gesturing with her head for Flare to take it. Her hand trembling, Flare hesitantly reached out. She made sure no one was looking before they finally made contact. Lucy clasped her hand firmly and focused with all the energy she had left on helping the beaten girl.

She watched with satisfaction and heavy limbs as the cut on Flare's lip healed and some of her older bruises faded. The girl gasped as she realised what Lucy was doing, her eyes widening in shock.

Blackness creeped in at the edges of Lucy's vison and she was forced to let go. She didn't even have the energy to draw back her arm after exerting herself like that. Deep down she knew it had been foolish, but she couldn't let the girl go without thanking her in some way.

Flare shuffled across the deck, picking up Lucy's hand and moving it for her. The girl smiled at her softly, a tender look in her eye.

"Thanks Blondie," She whispered, she looked around quickly before leaning in closer and continuing, "Don't worry. I promise I'll try and set you guys free before we get too close to Tortuga."

Lucy wanted to tell the girl not to put herself in any more danger, but she was still gagged and the girl was gone before she would have had the chance to tell her so anyway. She withdrew into herself again, but try as she might the sun continued its assault on her delicate skin.

* * *

"_This may be our last day together but I _will _see you again, right?"_

_Oh, that voice. This was just the dream she needed right now. _

_Dream Lucy, the Lucy that was human, rolled over to face the pink haired boy. They lay together in a single bed in a room with patterned windows. One of the windows was open, letting in the ocean breeze and the noise of the city. It also let in the morning sun, which shone on the tanned skin of the boy's bare chest. _

_She brought the sheets up to cover herself as she moved, but his gaze wasn't lustful when she faced him. It was fond and content. His fingers came up to skim across the pale skin of her exposed shoulders, tickling her. He smiled when she giggled and the sight made her heart melt. _

"_Of course." She found herself saying, "I couldn't dream of a life without you in it."_

_His smile widened just before he leaned down and kissed her. It was a sweet, gentle kiss, but it soon became more heated when she refused to let him pull away. Her fingers twined themselves in his pink hair as she drowned in the taste and feel of him. The skin of his bare chest coming into contact with her own as leaned over her sent a jolt of electricity through her body. _

_Beneath the sheets a calloused hand trailed down her side, coming to rest at her hip as a melody filled her ears. Someone in the street below them was whistling, and the sound drifted up into their hideaway. _

_Natsu pulled away from her groaning. _

"_I hate that song." He pouted._

_She laughed slightly as he rolled back on the bed, his arms drawing her in to lie against his chest. His fingers traced patterns on her back, the heat of them making her forget the cool breeze. His other hand clasped her own where it rested just above his heart._

"_Why?" She asked, "I don't think I've heard it before."_

"_Good," He brought her hands up to kiss her fingers, "It's awful."_

"_It doesn't sound it." She purred. She loved teasing him. The crease that appeared in his brow was too cute._

"_Yeah, well, you'd think so too if you heard the words."_

_The whistling below had drifted off, its source going off to start their busy day she presumed. Lucy shifted so that she lay on his chest looking up at him with fond eyes. He gazed back just as fondly, his hands playing with her golden hair. _

"_Sing it to me." She smiled._

"_Luce, no." He laughed nervously, "It's called 'The Drowned Lover' for crying out loud, it's morbid. Not to mention it's bad luck." _

"_Pleeeeeeease?" She sang, placing a light kiss on his chest._

_Natsu sighed. His face was thoughtful for a moment before he cleared his throat and began to sing barely above a whisper. _

_ "As I was a walking down in Stokes Bay,_

_ I met a drowned sailor on the beach as he lay,_

_ And as I drew nigh him, it put me to a stand,_

_ When I knew it was my own true love_

_ By the marks on his hand."_

_Natsu wasn't much of a singer but his voice was soothing as he sung the sad song. Lucy felt the smile slip from her face as the song continued, growing sadder and sadder with each verse._

_ "As he was a sailing from his own dear shore_

_ Where the waves and the billows so loudly do roar,_

_ I said to my true love, I shall see you no more_

_ So farewell my dearest, you're the lad I adore."_

_He moved her so that they were back where they'd started. He gazed down at her as he continued his song and Lucy found that she couldn't take her gaze away._

_ "She put her arms around him, crying 'O! My dear!',_

_ She wept and she kissed him ten thousand times o'er._

_ O I am contented to lie by they side._

_ And in a few moments, this lover she died."_

_He lay down beside her then, drawing her closer so that their noses were mere inches apart as he whispered to her the final verse._

_ "And all in the churchyard these two were laid,_

_ A stone for remembrance was laid on her grave._

_ My joys are all ended, my pleasures are fled,_

_ This grave that I lie is my new married bed."_

_She felt a stray tear make her way down her cheek. Natsu remained quiet as he brushed it away. She didn't say anything for a while. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and the two lay there in silence for a while, glad to have each other close. _

"_I don't think I like that song either." She admitted eventually._

_She felt him smile against her skin. When he pulled back that wild grin she loved so much lit up his features. _

"_I can teach you another if you'd like."_

_She smiled back, taking his face in her hands and pulling him towards her. His breath fanned her face just before they-_

"Wakey wakey sea hags!"

Lucy was jarred from her sweet dreams by Ivan's harsh voice ringing through her ears.

The sun was high in the sky, meaning she must have slept the whole day through due her exhaustion from attempting to heal Flare. She cast her eyes around, looking for the red haired girl. But she was nowhere in sight.

Her vision was soon eclipsed by Ivan's boots as he stood over her with an enraged look on his face. He kicked her in the ribs before moving over to Ultear, picking her up by her long dark hair.

"I don't know what you witches have been up to," He snarled in Ultears face, "But now we have ourselves a little _situation _on our hands."

Lucy's first thought as she lay there clutching her ribs was that Flare had tried something and had gotten caught. Worry was abandoned and confusing came rushing in when Lucy saw the girl rushing across the deck handing out weapons.

She brought her attention back to Ultear to find that Ivan had unchained her and was no in the process of removing her gag. Lucy hoped against hope that Ultear would take the opportunity to rip his throat out, but once the gagged was removed all the dark-haired mermaid did was suck in a huge gulp of air while continuing to clutch at Ivan's unrelenting hold on her hair.

Ivan stood, lifting Ultear with him. He grabbed her face harshly by the chin and turned her head so that he was snarling right in her ear.

"You're gonna sing," He told her, "You're gonna sing and send those no good Fairy Tail _scum _to their watery graves, you hear me?"

Ultear did not deem it necessary to inform him that she couldn't sing. Instead she opted for baring her fangs and screaming in his face. She was inches away from sinking her teeth into his neck just as Lucy wished when he threw her to the deck.

In that split second, Lucy realised that Ultear had a choice to make. She could scramble for the railings, and she just might make it in time before anyone caught her. If she did that then she would be free. Or, she could come towards Lucy and try desperately to free her too. But then the possibility of a successful escape would be hopelessly slim. Lucy was fully prepared to accept Ultear for taking the easy way out and saving herself.

But she didn't.

As soon as Ivan cast her aside, Ultear made an attempt to drag herself towards Lucy. Her attempted was sort lived as Ivan dived on top of her. All Lucy could see was Ivan's back and Ultear's flailing tail as the two of them fought. But then a flash caught her eye as Ivan raised an arm, and she could do nothing but scream into her gag as he drove the dagger into Ultear's chest.

Ivan stood, panting. With him out the way Lucy could see the true nature of the horror in front of her. Ivan's knife stuck out of Ultear's chest as she struggled to draw her last breaths, her blood spilling down onto the deck. The dying mermaid's eyes found Lucy's, the look in them pleading for help.

Ultear died reaching for Lucy's hand.

"Looks like you're up then Blondie." Ivan growled as he unchained her.

She thought she'd be numb to any more pain after watching Ultear die. They hadn't been friends but it was still an awful thing to have witnessed. Her thoughts were proved wrong as Ivan took her by the hair after ungagging her and dragged her away without removing the knife from her tail. She screamed and the sound was piercing even to her own ears. Her cries tore at her throat as her blood left a trail across the ship as Ivan dragged her up to the quarter deck.

Once Ivan reached his destination he lifted her up just as he had with Ultear, moving her head so that she was forced to look at the Fire Dragon racing towards them.

"Crash that ship and you won't end up like your friend." He informer her.

Ivan was so stupid. Even if she was capable of singing in her current state- which she wasn't- she could will the crew of the Fire Dragon to do _anything _she wanted. She could make them attack The Alexei with all the force they could muster, or even to drive their ship straight into Ivan's own.

But she was powerless to do anything. She was so weak and in so much pain she doubted she'd even be able to swim if they put her back in the water.

Ivan shook her as the enemy ship drew nearer and nearer. She wondered why its crew had decided to come after The Alexei. Perhaps they were seeking revenge for their friends? Whatever the reason, Lucy was glad that her misery would soon be over one way or another.

"Do it!" Ivan shook her again, "_Now_."

"N-No…" She managed to grind out.

Even producing that single word took all her strength. The pain in her tail had enveloped her so much that she barely noticed when Ivan threw her to the deck. Her eyes flickered shut as she accepted the inevitability of what would happen next.

She heard a voice call out to her and she couldn't help but smile softly even as she heard Ivan draw his knife. It had sounded so much like him, that voice, it must be her dream coming back to her.

The darkness took her before she could feel the bite of the blade.

* * *

**A/N: So I managed to update! Woo! Wow, my last AN was a bit brief wasn't it? How rude of me I apologise. I guess I was in a bit of a funk that day huh? Anyways! I'm trying my best to study heard but honestly I just can't wait until college is over so I can write write write!**

**Thank you again for reading! Please leave a review and let me know what you think :D**

**-HN**

* * *

_**Review Responses:**_

_**Obscurewriter05: Omg I'm so sorry! (and it's ma'am but you can just call me Hannah hehehe)**_

_**SwiftingSwift13: More NaLu for you!**_

_**12Rayne: They know what he's been hiding, dun dun dun! Sorry for the long weight, I had a bit of writer block!**_

_**Ineptia: Thank you! Receiving such a nice review made my day! **_

_**Compucles: Yup, I think Freed is gay! Lesbians would be affected by their song too yes. Some way dolphins reproduce and stuff. I admit I did not think about that until you asked :p**_

_**Footster26: The rescue is soon, I promise!**_


	6. Desperate To Drown

To Live Or To Drown – Chapter Six

Desperate To Drown

Natsu locked himself away in his cabin for the remainder of the journey home. He didn't want his friend's sympathy and he hated to see the sad look in their eyes whenever they looked at him, like he was some sort of kicked puppy or just your average heartbroken fool.

Heartbreak. He'd always thought the word was a gross exaggeration, but then Igneel had died. Losing his father was so painful he felt like a chasm had opened in his chest. He'd felt like his heart was breaking. It was a terrible feeling. One he never wanted to feel again. So much so, it took him years to fully accept the other members of Fairy Tail. He hadn't wanted to suffer that pain of losing someone again.

And then he'd met Lucy.

He groaned to himself as he flopped down on his bed. Without action to focus on, his mind strayed. Dragging up painful memories of love and loss that he didn't want to dwell on. But there wasn't much he could do considering that Erza had commandeered his ship. He wouldn't be able to do anything until they reached Tenrou Island.

_And then what? _He thought to himself. He needed a crew if he wanted to go after Lucy; he couldn't sail the Fire Dragon on his own, and Happy wouldn't be much help considering his lack of opposable thumbs. As for recruiting the guild members, he didn't want people joining him out of pity.

A knock sounded at his cabin door.

"Go away." Natsu called.

His visitor ignored him and stepped inside.

Gray strode in, closing the door behind him. He wore no shirt, as usual, crossing his arms over his muscled chest as he stopped in the centre of the room regarding Natsu. The Fire Dragon's captain couldn't quite decipher the look in Gray's eyes, and it made him uncomfortable.

"Are you deaf, Ice Princess? I said go away."

The dark haired boy sighed, but did not leave the room. Instead, he strolled over to where Happy lay sleeping in his basket in the corner of the room. Gray crouched down, turning his back to Natsu and stroked Happy. The cat emitted soft purrs in his sleep.

Natsu eyed Gray's back with a frown, waiting for him to break the silence with the inevitable round of questions.

"You said you loved her a long time ago," Gray spoke eventually, still kneeling with his back to Natsu, "How long ago is a long time ago?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Natsu replied through gritted teeth.

"I think she died two years ago," Gray told him as he stood, "That was when you left the guild for a year without telling anyone why. Just after you freaked out in Crocus when we were on a job, and no one could figure it out. I think you met her that summer, when you were in Hargeon. You seemed different after that trip. Happier."

"Well aren't you quite the detective. Maybe we should start calling you Inspector Gray."

Natsu kept his eyes on the ceiling. The looks of pity from his other guild mates annoyed him, but if he say that same look in Gray's eyes… He would never admit it out loud, but Gray was a good friend. Hell, he'd even considered making the guy his second before. They were still rivals ninety percent of the time, but they fought better together than against each other.

He wasn't surprised that Gray had figured out the timing of things. It was always either Gray or Erza that noticed the subtle changes in him, and none of the changes in his behaviour around the time things happened with Lucy had been subtle. Now that they knew the truth, he guessed his behaviour finally made sense.

"Two years ago isn't that long ago, Flame Brain," Gray claimed, with just a hint of his usual tone of voice that suggested Natsu was an idiot creeping back into his voice.

To others, maybe it wasn't. But to Natsu, every month without seeing Lucy felt like a year. To him, it seemed like decades since he'd held her in his arms, ran his fingers through her hair, made her laugh.

"It's okay to still be upset about it." Gray continued, "I still think about Ul sometimes…"

"Ultear was like your sister, it's different."

"Is it?" Gray countered, his voice dropping low, "It still hurts."

Natsu sighed before looking to his dark haired friend. Gray's eyes had that faraway look, like his body was here but his thoughts somewhere else. Natsu wanted to apologise, but he didn't want this conversation to get too mushy. Gods, they'd never recover if they actually had a serious conversation about… _feelings. _

"Alright, Stripper, I get your point," Natsu admitted, sitting up on his bed and rubbing his face as his friend drew himself from his thoughts, "Now go make sure Erza's not mistreating my ship."

"Aye Captain." Gray chuckled before heading for the door.

But the dark haired boy didn't leave. He paused at the door, his hand resting on the handle.

"Natsu…" Gray began hesitantly, using his name instead of an epithet made the captains head raise in suspicion. Gray looked over his shoulder, but his dark eyes flitted away when he asked: "What's it like? To be… to feel…"

He knew what Gray was trying to say.

"It feels like everything is right in the world," Natsu answered honestly, "But it hurts."

* * *

Natsu emerged from his cabin when they finally docked at Tenrou.

"Oi, you!" The metal-studded merman Gajeel called to him, "Get me off this hunk a' junk."

"I'll throw you off ya big metal fish!" Natsu growled as he stormed over, "No one calls my ship a hunk of junk!"

"Natsu please, calm down," Levy chided.

From the looks of things, Levy and Wendy had been keeping the merman from drying up while the others manned the ship. Buckets lay haphazardly around the injured merman, and the deck was soaking wet.

"Help me get him down to the beach." Levy ordered.

Natsu rolled his eyes but complied with the tiny girl.

The two of them crouched either side of Gajeel, slinging his arms around their shoulders. Levy took the injured side, being careful not to strain the wound too much. The two of them lifted on three, and slowly began to drag the heavy mermaid across the deck.

"You alright there Shrimp?" Gajeel asked with a grin in his voice.

Natsu looked to see Levy struggling to support the merman's weight, her brows furrowing with the effort. Her height didn't match Natsu's, which meant Gajeel was being carried lopsided and his tail was dragging across the deck.

"What did you have for breakfast this morning, a whale shark?" Levy complained.

"Why d'you think I go round eating sharks?" Gajeel asked, sounding somewhat offended.

"Whale sharks… are the largest living… cartilaginous fish…" Levy panted as she struggled under the baffled merman's weight, "And… I'm sure you weigh at least ten of those. Can we take a break?"

They weren't even off the ship yet!

Natsu huffed and instead of lugging the merman down the dock and onto the beach, he opted to drag Gajeel back to his earlier position by the railings and throw him overboard.

"Natsu! What did you do that for?" Levy wailed, "We could have carried him!"

"Please, you wouldn't have made it to the beach carrying that iron giant."

The two of them looked over the railings just as Gajeel resurfaced, a scowl on his face. Natsu suspected the merman was just about to send a torrent of obscenities his way when a frantic hugging monster surfaced and latched its arms around Gajeel's neck.

Beside Natsu, Levy giggled as she watched Gajeel reluctantly accept Juvia's worrying. Gray came up on Natsu's other side at the sound of the commotion in the water below.

"Do you think they're like, together?" Gray asked to no one in particular.

Natsu raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you wanna know?"

"Hey, what's that?" Levy interrupted them.

Natsu looked to where the petite girl was pointing and saw Master Makarov standing on the beach, the water curling around his ankles whenever it swept up onto the beach. The Master didn't seem to have come out to greet their ship, however. He was standing looking out to the water.

The three of them exchanged glances before turning towards the dock. They sprinted over the wooden pathway and down onto the beach, heading straight for the old man. As they approached, Natsu noticed Erza coming down from the guild hall. But the rest of his previous swiftly assembled crew was nowhere to be seen.

The sun was setting, casting a glow across the water as Natsu and the others came to a stop behind the Master. There was nothing on the horizon. Not a cloud or a ship in sight. What was the old man looking at?

In answer to Natsu's unspoken question, three heads emerged from the water not 12 feet from them where the water was still shallow. The first two heads belonged to Gajeel and Juvia, who had swam over from the ship and looked upon the humans gathered with friendly faces.

The third seemed to belong to a young girl. Her wet golden hair blended into the water like liquid light, and despite her young features she had a regal air about her. Emerald eyes assessed the group of land-dwellers before finally coming to rest on the Master.

"First." Makarov offered in greeting to the blonde mermaid.

"Third." The girl nodded.

An uneasy silence stretched between the groups, both of them uncertain of each other.

Natsu couldn't take much more of this. Every minute they wasted was another minute that the crew of The Alexei could be doing unspeakable things to Lucy. They needed to come up with a rescue plan, and they needed to come up with it now.

"So you're it then?" Natsu blurted, "You're the reinforcements?"

"Oi," Gajeel growled from the water, "Watch it, Pinky."

"Gajeel," The young girl brought a hand up from the water, gesturing for him to stop, "It is alright."

"You gonna let him to talk you like that Master?" Gajeel asked, disbelieving.

Natsu registered the title Gajeel addressed the girl with. Master? Did mermaids have guilds? If they did, why did they let kids run them?

"We must forgive him Gajeel," The girl instructed, "He is merely anxious to save the one he loves. As am I."

"You're going to help save Lucy?" Hope filled Natsu's voice.

"Actually, we're going to save her ourselves. We don't need your help, we can save our own alone."

"Like hell!" Natsu cried.

"Natsu…" The Master's voice held a clear note of warning.

"No, Gramps!" Natsu protested, his anger building, "I'm going to save her! I have to make sure she's safe."

He clenched his fists as the blonde mermaid chuckled. But her laugh didn't seem cruel, and her gaze was fond.

"I see why she saved you," She spoke softly, "Juvia tells me you knew Lucy in her past life?"

The anger evaporated and his shoulders slumped. He wasn't about to discuss this with a stranger when his friends had only just discovered his secret today.

Instead, he nodded.

Everyone looked at him, as though waiting for him to say something. About Lucy, about his feelings for her, her rescue, anything. But he couldn't form the words.

"He loved her a lot." Juvia whispered in the young girl's ear.

"I still do." Natsu couldn't keep himself from saying. He hated that Juvia used the past tense to describe something he still felt so strongly.

He noticed the concerned glance that the girl and Makarov shared just before the Master turned to him and sighed.

"Natsu, I understand what you feel for this girl. You're not the only who's ever been in love." The Master sounded almost regretful, and Natsu wondered what the old man's life was like before the guild. Laxus never mentioned his grandmother, "But you must understand, she doesn't remember you. I know it must hurt, but at least take comfort in the fact that she's alive. You must let her live her new life. What can you offer her when you live in different worlds?"

_What can you offer her? _That was a question he'd asked himself a lot when he first met her. Then too, they came from different worlds. But the obstacles they faced then weren't nearly so extreme. Although they were apparently enough to tear them apart forever.

When he'd discovered Lucy's family name and the vast amounts of wealth that came with it, it truly drove home the fact he didn't deserve her. He was just a boy with a ship who liked adventures, and she was a beautiful heiress who had the world at her feet.

Imagine his surprise when she told him she didn't care about those things. Imagine his joy when she told him she liked adventures too, but that the only ones she was ever allowed to go on were between the pages of a book. Imagine his grin when she told him she'd give up all her money for one kiss from him.

"I know I need to let her go. I know I won't be lucky enough for her to fall for me twice, and that even if she did it wouldn't matter," Natsu admitted to the Master before turning to the young girl in the water, "But I _need to know _she's safe."

A strong hand clapped his shoulder.

"I'll help you save her, Fire Ball." Gray grinned.

Another hand came to rest on his arm.

"I too shall accompany you." Erza proclaimed.

"How many do you need?" Levy asked, "I'll round up the others."

Natsu looked between his friends as a grin slowly formed on his face. Gods only knew where he'd be without his guild mates. His family.

"I guess it's settled then," The young girl laughed, "A team effort it is."

* * *

They set sail at sunrise.

The crew from the previous day had reassembled to help Natsu to free his lost love. Gajeel and Juvia also joined them on their mission, with Juvia scouting ahead in the water in search of The Alexei. Gajeel had scaled the side of the ship and leaned over the railings, ready to jump back into the water at a moment's notice. Natsu noticed him watching as people scurried about the ship, preparing for battle and keeping it on course.

He could also hear the merman mumbling his complains, even from where he stood at the wheel of the ship.

"Can't believe Mavis is making us work with them…" mumble mumble, "Stupid humans… ship makes me wanna throw up…" mumble mumble, "Can't stand Juvia making doe eyes at that stripper…"

Natsu ignored him.

Levy did not.

Natsu had to hold back a laugh as he overheard Levy bombard the scary looking mermaid with questions about mermaid anatomy. He even had to bit into his own tongue when he saw the horrified expression on Gajeel's face.

He was watching the merman's face go redder and redder when suddenly, Gajeel's straightened up. The merman cast a cautious look behind him before abruptly turning and diving onto Levy. The two of them crashed onto the deck as two other mermaids appeared over the railings. Gajeel rolled off a red-faced Levy and brandished his spear that had been sheathed on his back.

"What are you doing?" Natsu called out in confusion. Why did Gajeel seem on the verge of attacking reinforcements?

The rest of the crew seemed to be asking themselves the same question as they paused in their tasks and took in the sight of the two newcomers. One was a man with dark blue air and an intricate red tattoo under his eye. The dark blue scales of his tale contrasted the deep fuchsia ones of his companion, a smaller girl with long pink hair.

The new merman tried to raise is hands in a gesture of surrender, but doing so made him loose his grip on the ship. He scrambled to regain purchase as Erza game to stand beside Gajeel, assessing the situation.

"These guys ain't on our side." Gajeel growled by way of an explanation.

Natsu was still a little confused, but Erza seemed to take Gajeel's word for it as she brandished her sword at the new comers.

Tension on deck only increased when Juvia scaled the opposite side of the ship, returning from scouting ahead. She slithered down onto the deck and bared her teeth in a feral hiss when she took in the sight of the new comers.

She looked terrifying.

"Please, we come in peace!" The blue-haired merman announced.

"Like hell you do." Gajeel scowled, his arm tensing, ready to throw his spear.

"Really," The newcomer assured, "We want to help."

A sob broke from the pink-haired mermaid, drawing everyone's attention. She looked to Juvia with tears in her eyes.

"They got Ul too." She whimpered.

Juvia lost some of her anger at this, her snarl disappearing as she relaxed slightly. Gajeel turned to her and the two of them seemed to be having a silent conversation so intense it made Natsu wonder is telepathy was one of a merfolks many powers.

"Will someone tell me what in the hell is going on?" Natsu called from the behind the wheel, watching it all from the quarter deck.

"Please Gajeel," the new merman plead, ignoring Natsu, "Zeref sees no loss and will not waste his fighters, but we want to save our brethren just as much as you do. Let us help each other."

"We can't do it alone, please," The girl begged, "We'll convert. We'll be good, we'll do anything! Just help us save Ul."

"Who's Ul?" Gray called from his place beside Natsu, a worried tone creeping into his voice.

"Alright," Gajeel agreed grudgingly, "But stay the hell away from this crew."

The two newcomers nod as Gajeel dragged himself back onto the railing. He ushers them back into the water, giving the ship a quick glace before he follows. Juvia remained on the deck, all of her earlier fierceness gone with the danger.

"Juvia!" Natsu called to her, "Who were those guys?"

"Their names are Jellal and Meredy," She shouted back, "It seems The Alexei took their friend Ultear just as they took Lucy."

"Ultear?" Gray breathed beside Natsu, "No… It can't be?"

Natsu offered his friend a gentle smile as he watched the hope build in Gray's eyes. It looked like he wasn't the only one who would be reuniting with a lost loved one.

* * *

They spotted The Alexei on the horizon.

The Fire Dragon drew closer and closer and Natsu called out orders to his crew, making sure they all prepared for battle.

He knew the merfolk were somewhere beneath them, waiting in the depths until his crew started the attack to scale The Alexei and drag its crew down into the murky depths. He didn't question their loyalty once. He knew they'd do anything to save his friends.

"C'mon you slimy bilge rats!" Natsu called to his crew with a grin, the anticipation of a fight getting him all fired up despite the circumstances, "Ready the canons, ready the guns! Move, Move, Move!"

Beside him, Gray laughed.

"Don't worry, _Salamander_," His temporarily appointed second drawled, "We'll save your-"

That's when they heard it.

The scream.

It was full of pain and anguish, and it was coming from The Alexei. It was the most bone-chilling sound Natsu had ever heard. It was Lucy's scream.

"Gray, take the wheel." Natsu ordered.

Gray did as instructed without a word, his face grim. Natsu moved to the portside of the quarterdeck, reaching into his vest to draw out his spyglass as he moved.

When he brought it to his eye, he sucked in a breath. There, on the enemy ships own quarterdeck, was Lucy. She was being held up by hair by a bearded man who had his mouth pressed against her ear as Lucy struggled. The pink scales of her tail looked dull, and even from this distance Natsu could see that her usually pale skin was burned and bleeding. As his own ship got closer, the man gripping Lucy shook her more violently.

The sight made Natsu's anger grow. He put away his spyglass and brandished his sword. They were close enough now that he didn't need his spyglass to see what was happening with Lucy. He kept his eyes solely focused on her, even as Gray relayed information to him from the wheel.

When they were finally close enough to board the enemy ship, Natsu felt ready to burst with rage. He called out to Wendy to cast him a rope so he could swing onto the ship. He ran down onto the deck, building momentum as he grabbed the rope that Wendy sent from above. He heard Gray send the rest of the crew into battle before Natsu let out a fierce war cry of his own.

As he flew through the air, beneath him the merfolk sprung from the water, latching themselves onto the side of The Alexei as they released animalistic screams of the own.

Mid-swing Natsu realised he'd used to much momentum. As he overshot the enemy ship, he watched as the bearded man- the ship's captain if he guessed correctly- flung Lucy onto the deck. It was as if the whole world had been put on mute and all Natsu could hear was the thud of limp body as it hit the deck.

"Lucy!"

He called out her name as he let go of the rope. He landed on an enemy crew-member, knocking him unconscious. He tried to keep his eyes on the captain even as he fought off another attacker, and he was sure he saw the glint of a knife just before he was forced to duck away from an enemy blade.

No, no, no. He needed to get to her!

Gajeel appeared out of nowhere and clobbered Natsu's attacker over the head with his spear. Natsu only spared a second to nod in thanks before dodging through the fray and up onto the quarter deck.

The wheel of the ship stood unmanned between Natsu and Lucy's unmoving form. He'd come up the wrong side, and now the ship's captain crouched over Lucy with a knife in his hand and a vicious look in his eyes.

Natsu didn't even have time to scream before the blade came down.

But it never hit home.

A surge of red barrelled into the captain and knocked him over. His knife skittering away as the two bodies jostled together. For a moment, Natsu thought it was Erza that had attacked the ship's captain. The assailant was a girl with long red hair, but when the captain finally managed to swat her away Natsu caught a glimpse of a bruised freckled face before she slumped to the ground. She wasn't part of his crew.

Natsu wasted no time worrying over Lucy's saviour however as he charged at the captain, his sword raised. The bearded man managed to dodge, but he had no weapon of his own to fight with.

With his rage boiling his blood, Natsu cast aside his cutlass and punched the captain square in the face with enough force to make his own knuckles bleed. He gave the captain no time to recover as Natsu took him by the collar and flung him against the railing of the quarterdeck in front of the, wheel. Natsu hoped the captain would catch a glimpse of his falling crew in the few seconds before he gave him the beating of his life.

Just as Natsu raised his fist to punch again, a scream tore through the air.

He looked down onto the deck and saw Meredy wailing over a body, although he couldn't tell whose.

Her cries were terrible, and he recognised them as sounds of utter heartbreak.

She cut off her sobs abruptly, and Natsu witnessed her head snap up in his direction. Her eyes filled with murder.

But Meredy wasn't looking at him. She was looking at the captain.

As much as Natsu believed that this man should rot in hell, he'd had no intentions of killing him. Natsu didn't like killing people. But he could tell from the look in her eyes that Meredy had no qualms about it.

For a second, Natsu was tempted to push the caption onto the deck and let Meredy tear him to pieces.

He deserved it for hurting Lucy.

But he was spared making the decision as Juvia placed a hand on Meredy's shoulder, and the young mermaid broke down in tears.

Instead he handed over the captain to Laxus to deal with. The Master's grandson had followed right behind Natsu with his own team, helping the mermaid's dispose of the crew. Now, he seemed all too eager to relieve Natsu of his burden.

Natsu rushed towards Lucy. She lay in the same place where she'd been cast aside, her breathing shallow and her body battered. His hands skimmed over her, not knowing if he should touch her but wanting to desperately. Her skin was dry and cracked, an ugly shade of pink where it seemed she'd been left out in the heat to suffer. The scales of her tail were dull. A few off them in odd places were missing, as though they had been wrenched out.

Blood stained the deck near the end of her tail. His heart filled with horror as he took in the sight of the membrane torn in two and bleeding.

It was all too much for him to take in. So much seemed to have been done to her in such a short space of time. So much that he could have stopped, if only he'd gotten there sooner. Her skin was stretched tight over her bones, making her look older and underfed. Her eyes were stained purple and the soft lips that used to shower butterfly kisses over his hot skin were chapped and bleeding.

She was dying.

He knew it the moment he thought it, and he wasn't going to let it happen again.

Natsu picked her up as gently as he could, his arms supporting her back and the crook of her tail. Even unconscious, her face grimaced in pain. He moved as softly as he could, not wanting to hurt her anymore.

She would survive if he just got her back into the water. He didn't know how he knew it, but he did. The water would nourish her skin, and her people would tend to her injuries. She would be okay. He could still save her.

He planted a soft kiss on her forehead as he walked over to the railings, all the while whispering to her that it would all be okay. He was here. They didn't have to hurt anymore.

He lifted his legs and mounted the railings, cradling her in his arms. He could hear the last of the fight coming to a close on the deck behind him, but he only had eyes for Lucy as her webbed fingers clutched at his vest.

Worried voices called to him from behind, but he ignored them all. He needed to make sure Lucy would be safe.

He jumped.

* * *

**A/N: DUN DUN DUN. WHAT WILL BECOME OF NATSU? FIND OUT NEXT CHAPTER!**

**EXAMS ARE FININISHED. I HAVE A LIFE AGAIN. Actually they finished like two weeks ago and I've just been a really terrible writer and have not done much writing since then because I had really bad writers block and was just generally feeling shitty so I am so so so so so so sorry for how long it is taking me to update recently. I have no idea what's wrong with me but I hope you guys can bear with me while I sort out this blockage in my head. **

**I got so excited thinking about Arkham Knight the other day that I forgot about the new Fairy Tail chapter. That's how much I am looking forward to this game. If you don't hear from me for a while, it is 100% because of that game. Also I'm going on holiday for a week on July 10****th****, but I hope that I update before then. **

**I really need to get my ass in gear.**

**Much love,**

**-HN**

**PS. The title of this chapter was inspired by a quite from the Mara Dyer trilogy (By Michelle Hodkin and it totally recommend it). **

'"_**You should have seen the way he was looking at you while you were out."**_

_**I smiled a little. "How?"**_

"_**Like you're the ocean and he's desperate to drown"'**_

* * *

_**Reviewer Responses:**_

_**Athena: Hehehe same. Gotta love a bit of angst! Awr, thank you so much! I hope this chapter doesn't let you down.**_

_**Guest: Thank you! :D**_

_**SwiftingSwift13: Your tears fuel me.*evil face* Hope you liked Natsu's side of the rescue!**_

_**CupcakeGirl633: Thank you so much! I really love Ultears character development in the manga, she's definitely one of my favourite villains turned good. Flare too. I'm glad you're enjoying the story and I apologise for the update delay!**_

_**Obscurewriter05: Natsu the hero! Hopefully your broken heart will mend itself soon.**_

_**Poxxy: The way I imagine them moving while aboard the Fire Dragon is like if you try dragging yourself across the floor without using your legs, just your arms, if you know what I mean? Although when they get particularly feisty (Like Juvia does in this chapter) they have the potential to move more like snakes would. I hope that makes sense! I'm sorry I didn't describe it very well but I'm glad you're enjoying the story! **_

_**Animallover: I'm glad you like it, thank you very much!**_

_**Guest: Thank you!**_

_**MarinaHeartfilia: Awr, thank you! I'm sorry for taking so long to update! (I followed you back hehehe)**_

_**Blonde Neko-Chan: WOAH OMG. I TOTALLY DO NOT DESERVE THAT COMPLIMENT BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH WOW. Really though, there are some amazing AU's out there, hundreds that are a lot better than this one. But I'm honoured to receive such high praise anyway. Thank you so much! I don't plan on having Lucy remember every single detail of her time with Natsu, don't worry. That's what the prequel I'm planning is for ;D**_

_**Comewhatanime: I'm glad you like it bae! Probably no one needed mermaid Lucy but here she is anyway!**_

_**Footster26: Never fear! She's still alive (**__**barely)**__**. Sorry for the update delay!**_


	7. Give Me Love, Give Me Dreams

To Live Or To Drown – Chapter Seven

Give Me Love, Give Me Dreams

It was like she could breathe again.

All of a sudden, she was enveloped in cool water that relieved the stinging of her burned skin and filled her lungs with water as she opened her gills for the first time in days. The relief was so overwhelming she let out a gasp of pleasure, bubbles tickling her nose.

How had this happened? The last thing she remembered was being thrown onto the deck of The Alexei by its merciless captain. She couldn't be in the water, he would never have thrown her back. Perhaps she was so weak she was becoming delirious. That certainly explained why she'd been imagining Natsu's voice before she blacked out.

Natsu. She'd probably never see him again. Not even in her dreams.

A light pressure on her forehead made her muster the strength to open her eyes.

Onyx eyes starred back at her.

Was this another dream? Surely it had to be.

She pulled away slightly to take in the sight of him. His pink hair floated in the water, and his eyes blinked lazily as he looked at her fondly. His lips quirked in a slight smirk that reminded Lucy of her dreams of him.

Cautiously, she reached out a hand to touch his face. Hoping that the contact would clue her in to the reality of what was happening. Her webbed fingers cupped his cheek and he leaned in to her touch, his own hand moving through the water to cover her own. The tenderness shocked her.

This wasn't a dream.

Looking above them, she could see the underside of two ships and the surface of the water far above them. They'd sunk quite a way.

Panicked, her eyes returned to Natsu but his features showed no trace of fear. He was going to drown and yet it seemed he didn't care. His face was peaceful as he drank in the sight of her.

The memories of her own death flashed through her mind. _No, _she thought. He wasn't thinking straight, something was wrong with him. He seemed happy when she'd seen him in Mavis's vision, he couldn't _want _to drown. No one would if they knew how it felt. Her eyes stung as she remembered her bitter struggle to the surface and the first time her lungs had filled with water.

She wasn't going to let him die.

Her movements were sluggish in her current state but she managed clasp Natsu's wrists and reposition herself in preparation to swim to the surface. She gulped when she realised his knuckles were bleeding, the smell of his blood tainting the water between them and making her pause as she tried to fight the urge to taste it. He looked a little confused at her actions, but his eyes soon began to slide shut.

Frantic to save him, she began to swim.

She wailed and clutched at Natsu's shirt after one flick of her tail as it sent a violent stab of pain up her tail. Looking down, she found blood trickling from her tail and mixing with the ocean. The sight made her lip quiver.

Her second attempt to swim was even more painful. She could barely move without her vision clouding. She tried to swim without moving her tail, using only her arms to drag them to the surface, but her efforts proved futile as they inched closer and closer. At this rate, she wouldn't make it in time.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, Natsu's eyes finally slid shut and the last of the air left him.

_No!_

The sound of the surface of the water above them breaking drew her attention, hope building in her chest as Juvia dragged one of The Alexei's crew members under.

"Juvia!" Lucy screamed with all the energy she could muster just as the blue-haired mermaid let go of the body she'd been carrying.

Juvia's head snapped in their direction, her eyes widening before she snapped out of her shock and came darting towards them.

"Please, please, I can't swim. You have to save him." Lucy begged, her words coming in desperate whimpers. She knew tears would be streaming down her face if she wasn't under water.

Juvia gently took Natsu from her, fitting her hands under his arms in order to carry him to the surface. Lucy caressed his face once more before letting him go.

But Juvia hesitated.

"Lucy-" She began, but the blonde cut her off.

She knew what her friend was going to suggest. She barely knew the boy, but between administering her life saving kiss and the dreams of what could never be that filled her mind each time she closed her eyes, she'd come to feel something for him. And Juvia had noticed. Juvia was thinking that if Natsu drowned, there was a chance he would be revived. A chance they could be together.

But Lucy couldn't do that to him. She would not let him die for her own selfish want. What sort of person would she be if she took him from everything he loved?

"No," She told Juvia adamantly, "Now go."

Her friend nodded before surging to the surface with Natsu in tow. Lucy watched as she headed in the direction of one of the ships, desperately hoping that he would be okay.

Oh how she yearned to follow him.

Looking at the underbellies of the ships, she began to piece things together as she dragged up information from her foggy memory. She remembered Ivan telling her to sing so that the Fire Dragon crashed, which meant… He'd come to save her. Not only that, but it appeared Juvia and Gajeel had too. They'd worked together with the humans.

The loyalty of her friends made her smile, but her brows furrowed as she tried to deduce why Natsu would sail so far just to save her.

Perhaps he felt he owed her for saving his life?

"Pull that face for much longer and it'll stay like that."

The mocking voice startled her out of her thoughts.

Lucy turned to see the eldest of the Revived.

"Aquarius?" She asked, shocked.

Her elder smirked. Lucy knew Aquarius to be a kind soul, but the leader of the Revived tried to mask it with a superior attitude and a bossy tone. She was considered the most beautiful and elegant of all of them, and was responsible for helping the recently deceased adapt to their new bodies. Lucy owed a lot of her new life to her.

Aquarius wore a diadem atop her long blue hair that was bestowed by Mavis long ago and signified the role she held among their people. The blue jewels that adorned it matched the light blue scales of her tail, making her appearance all the more captivating.

"You're trying to figure it out aren't you?" Aquarius asked.

"Pardon?"

"You're trying to figure out why he came for you," Her elder clarified, "Honestly Lucy, you're so dim sometimes. When are you going to realise that they're not _dreams_, they're _memories_."

Lucy blanched.

"What are you- how could- I don't-" Lucy stammered.

"Please, Lucy," Aquarius interrupted with a chuckle, "You should know by now I know _everything_."

Lucy doubted that but at the moment her mind was spinning. Memories? If they were memories then that meant… that meant Natsu knew her. That she had known him. All the dreams, they were real. They had happened. That meant…

_Oh. _

"Surprising, isn't it?" Aquarius spoke after noticing Lucy's expression, "I thought you'd never find a boyfriend. In this life or the last one."

The dreams- memories- came back to her. The few that had managed to drift into her mind from her old life. The looks, the kisses, the touches. Hot breath on her face and hands caressing her under the sheets. She'd known him. She'd been intimate with him.

Had he loved her?

"What are you doing here?" Lucy asked, trying in vain to push the thoughts from her mind for the time being.

Aquarius's features morphed into her usual expression of barely concealed boredom.

"Mavis sent me." She explained, "She thought you'd need help. Where are the others?"

Lucy pointed the ships above them.

Aquarius rolled her eyes before swimming around Lucy and taking hold of her upper arms firmly.

"Let them fawn over the humans," She drawled as she began to swim, "We need to get you home."

"Wait!" Lucy protested, she tried to free herself from her elders grasp, wincing as pain flared up from her tail, "I need to know. I need to know if he's alright."

Aquarius rolled her eyes and continued to lead Lucy home.

"You're injured and bleeding," she pointed out as Lucy's futile protests continued, "You'll die well before Juvia or Gajeel return."

Dismayed, Lucy let herself be dragged away. She knew Aquarius, was right. Even now she could feel the last of her strength ebbing away.

When the blackness began to encroach on her vision, she let it.

* * *

Lucy woke from another long, dreamless sleep and sighed.

Aquarius had done her best to heal her injuries, but days later and her tail was still in a sorry state. The injured membrane had been stitched back together, and it was likely that it would leave a scar. Coupled with her missing scales, she could hardly bare to look at herself.

Due to her injures she remained in her quarters. Not Just because of her appearance but also due to the pain. Although it wasn't as bad as before, it still lingered, making it difficult and tiring to swim.

Perhaps the worst of it all was the fatigue. Her recovery was going slow, and she was advised to rest as often as she could but sleep offered her no reprieve.

She didn't dream anymore.

Each time she slept, she would close her eyes and wish for more memories of her old life to come forward. But since finding out the truth of her dreams none had come. Not even the silly ones she used to have, where seahorses could talk and sharks could grin. There was nothing but blackness.

She'd even asked Aquarius if there was anything she could do to make herself remember, but the leader of the Revived had merely frowned and told her it was better if she didn't.

It was impossible to stop her thoughts from drifting back to the memories though. Most often to her most recent recollection. The memory of Natsu singing her that sad song. She wanted to know happened afterwards. Did he teach her another song after all? Or did they get… distracted?

The possibilities made her blush. In her new life, she'd never been that close to someone. She doubted anyone had even looked at her that way.

She sighed once again.

A knock sounded at the door, jarring her from her thoughts.

Before she had time to answer it, the door swung open and Juvia swam in, a bright smile on her face and a bundle of oysters in her hands.

"Lucy!" She beamed, "How are you faring?"

"I'm bored," The blonde admitted, "So dreadfully bored."

Juvia giggled before coming to rest beside her where she lay on her stone bed, setting the oysters down in between them to share.

"Not to worry Lucy, I'm sure you'll be swimming again in no time."

Lucy smiled at her friends optimism as she cracked open an oyster herself. She wasn't really hungry, but she hadn't been eating much lately and didn't want to worry her friends.

The blonde had always been grateful for Juvia's friendship, but now that gratitude was stronger than ever. Her friend had remained by her side for much of the healing process, putting up with both her tears of pain and her tears of relief when she's informed her that Natsu was still breathing.

Juvia had returned tired and bleary eyed, making Lucy fear the worst. She could still remember how her heart had filled with dread at the sight of her friend's expression. In that moment, she'd thought Natsu dead. The relief she'd felt when Juvia reassured her he wasn't would have knocked her off her feet if she had any.

The relief lingered, even when Juvia had told her that her sadness was due to Ultear's death that had been made more harrowing when one of Natsu's crew had recognised her body. The scene was recounted to her, and Lucy's guilt seemed ever growing when the thought crossed her mind that she was lucky not to have witnessed such a sorrowful scene.

Now though, Juvia's cheerful demeanour had returned.

"You seem especially happy today," Lucy noted, "Any reason?"

"No," Juvia grinned coyly, swishing her tail as she began to blush, "Well, actually… there might be a certain dark-haired, two-legged reason."

Lucy felt the smile fall from her face.

"Juvia…" She began hesitantly.

"Of course, I know he doesn't feel the same way," Juvia chattered over her, "At least, he hasn't had the chance to. He is very sad, which makes me very sad. He mourns for Ultear. But he mourns alone."

"If he is so sad, then why are you happy?" Lucy inquired as her confusion grew. Really, what went on in Juvia's head?

"He _spoke _to me today Lucy!" The blue-scaled mermaid squealed, "He was walking on the beach and he noticed me watching. He started a conversation and I-I made him laugh!"

Lucy tried to twist her features into a grin, but only managed a weak smile. She was happy that Juvia was connecting with the boy she fawned over so much, truly she was, but… what was the point? Everyday Juvia bore witness to Lucy's wistful sighs and wandering thoughts; she noticed the yearning that clawed at her heart each day of the life she could never have. The life with Natsu. The life with a human. And yet her heart still beat only for Gray, it seemed. Despite the fact that leagues of the ocean separated them. Despite the pain she saw in her friend each day.

It baffled Lucy so much that she could not restrain her tongue.

"Juvia," Lucy interrupted her friend's giggles, her own expression serious, "Why do you love him so? You know it can never be."

Juvia offered a soft smile.

"Why do you love Natsu?"

"That's different," Lucy scrunched her nose, "We could have been together once. We were. I died loving him, so I was reborn loving him."

Lucy had told herself this many times, but deep down she knew it was more. She carried few things from her old life to the new. Maybe her love had been one of them, unknown to her, but in truth she believed she'd simply been lucky enough to fall for him twice. How could her heart not flutter at the sight of a man flashing a devilish grin in the face of death?

"You shouldn't torment yourself so, Lucy," Juvia advised her, clasping her hands, "There is hope."

"What hope?" Her voice hitched as a pain formed in her chest, "How can I hope for him to die, even if it meant we could be together? How could I want that? He wouldn't even remember me, Juvia. There is no hope for us. All I can wish now is that he moves on with his life; finds someone who makes him as happy as he once made me."

She pulled her hands free of Juvia's and turned away. She'd been brooding on these thoughts for days, but saying them allowed made the truth of it all real. It made her see what she had to do.

Lucy had to stay away from him.

Every time he sees her, she thought, she'd just reminding him of the old Lucy. The one he strolled on the beach with, the one he kissed, the one he loved. She wasn't that Lucy. Not anymore. She was a sea creature with a pretty voice and a tendency to drag sailors to their death.

But there was another reason she needed to stay away from him. A reason she was afraid to acknowledge. The craving at the back of her mind that lingered like a shadow just out of sight.

Even now, she could feel her stomach rejecting the few oysters she'd eaten at the thought…

"There _is _hope, Lucy." The conviction in Juvia's voice jarred her out of her thoughts.

Lucy turned to her friend, raising an eyebrow in question.

Juvia wrung her hands as her eyes darted round the room nervously. Her change in behaviour made Lucy even more confused. Just as she was about to question her friend, Juvia swam over to the door and peered outside before locking it and returning to Lucy.

"There is a legend…" Juvia began in a whisper so quiet Lucy needed to lean in closer in order to hear her properly, "I discovered it in the old archives. I was going to tell you once you were healed, so that we could go in search of it. You know, a treasure hunt?"

"But what's the treasure?" Lucy inquired, her curiosity growing.

"The knife of Ishgar."

Juvia's eyes winded as she made her revelation, pausing for dramatic affect.

Lucy's eyebrows knitted together, causing Juvia to sigh.

"The legend states that if a merfolk's desire to be human is strong enough," Juvia explained, "that if they take the knife and sever their tail in two, the knife will turn their scales to skin and allow them to walk among the humans."

Lucy was speechless.

"Of course, it's not without the risk," Juvia babbled on in the wake of her friend's surprise, "If the desire isn't strong enough then you'll die. And that's not to mention that Gajeel would kill us if he ever found-"

"_Sever their tail in two?!_" Lucy finally managed, her voice coming out a startled squeak, "But wouldn't that be-"

"Painful?" Juvia cut in, "Incredibly."

"And you would do that?" Lucy asked in disbelief, "You would risk your life for Gray?"

"Yes." Juvia answered as though it was obvious.

Lucy's mouth hung open in shock. Her mind was reeling. _The knife will turn their scales to skin and allow them to walk among the humans. _Could it really be so simple? A little mutilation and her old life would be hers once more?

"If the legend is true, then it grants you the same hope that it grants me." Juvia's voice was low asked the question Lucy suspected she had come here to ask all along, "Will you help me find the knife Lucy?"

* * *

Lucy's heart was racing, and with good reason.

She'd received a summons from Mavis.

She swam back and forth anxiously as she waited to be called into grand hall, where she would no doubt find the Master perched on her golden throne.

Her escorts had assured her that she was in no trouble, that the Master simply wanted a word, but what did the Master want to talk about? With _her _of all people? She'd pretty much been just another revived until she'd saved Natsu and had that fancy ball thrown in her honour.

Remembering that night, she recalled how she'd confided in Mavis. _Oh gods, _Lucy thought, _she knows. She knows! She knows everything. About the knife, the memories, the-_

"The Master will see you now." One of the guards announced as the doors swung open.

Lucy gulped, barely managing a 'thank you' as she tried her best to straighten her shoulders before gliding through the doors.

Even without all the decorations, the grand hall was still impressive. However, when the room was not filled with people, the light from the luminous plants gave the room a more sinister feel. Shadows flickered across the rocks, but as always, Mavis was a beacon of light. Sat atop her throne just as Lucy expected.

Much the same as she had done that night, Lucy swam forward and bowed before the Master. Mavis's hair floated around her in the water, making her look like a child-goddess come to life. Her smile was kind as she nodded her head in acknowledgement to Lucy's bow.

"Lucy, it is good to see you," The Master greeted, "Aquarius tells me you have healed well?"

"Yes Master," Lucy nodded, "I can swim without pain, thanks to Aquarius. I owe her so much."

Mavis nodded in understanding before rising from her throne and moving to float in front of Lucy.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I summoned you here today."

"Very much so, Master." Lucy grinned nervously, Mavis smiled back.

"I thought you might like to see him again." The Master offered.

Lucy had no doubts about who the '_him_' was.

Although she'd promised herself that she would stay away from Natsu until they were sure beyond a doubt that the Knife of Ishgar could make her human again, she could not refuse the Master. She did not want to appear rude or ungrateful, and surely there could be no harm in gazing at an image of him in that opal disk?

She nodded her head eagerly.

Mavis smiled. The Master beckoned to Lucy to follow, and the two of them made their way behind the throne. Lucy expected to be taken to the room where the disk was stored, but instead the Master cut their journey abruptly short, turning to face the back of her throne instead.

Confused, Lucy stayed by the Masters side and watched as Mavis raised her arm and with a flick of her wrist the throne moved. The sound of the metal grinding against the stone filled the room, muffling Lucy gasp when a hole in the rock was revealed.

A tunnel.

Mavis offered no explanation. She merely gestured to Lucy to proceed down the tunnel.

Lucy followed the instructions, a little surprised when the Master did not follow. Lucy was also a little curious as she made her way slowly through the passage as to why the Master went to such lengths to conceal the opal disk.

It was surprisingly light in the tunnel. Glowing lichen illuminated the narrow passage, allowing Lucy to manoeuvre correctly as the tunnel turned upwards, seeming to head towards the surface.

Swimming slowly, Lucy was unsure how long she'd been in the tunnel when finally a light came into view above her. She felt her brows furrow as she realised the light being cast down into the tunnel was sunlight.

The passage emerged into a small pool just large enough to comfortably accommodate one of her kind, similar to the passage itself. The water here was clean, pure. But still undoubtedly belonged to the ocean below. Lucy broke its surface quietly, causing barely more than a ripple as she turned to take in her surroundings.

The pool lay in the centre of a small cavern that was illuminated by a single hole in the ceiling. Vines and leaves crept in from the above, some floating on the surface of the pools surface. The walls of the cavern were of an old rock, but a wooden door to her left was a sure sign that the cavern had not in fact been lost to time.

Why had Mavis sent her here, she wondered as she continued to turn in the pool.

Her heart stopped when she finally noticed what she was meant to find, sitting cross-legged facing the door on the opposite side of the pool.

Tanned skin, onyx eyes, pink hair.

"Lucy?"

* * *

**A/N: Lot of new information this chapter, lot of suspense (I hope anyway). Hope you guys enjoyed!**

**So I'm back from my holiday (I had a very nice time) and I'm giving you an update because I'm jetting off **_**again **_**next Sunday! I apologise that these holidays are messing with my updates but I promise once I return I'll dedicate the remainder of my summer to my stories!**

**Much Love,**

**-HN**

* * *

_**Reviewer Responses:**_

_**Lollilollicandypop: Sorry for breaking your heart! Hopefully I can mend it at some point.**_

_**MarinaHeartfilia: Thank you hun, I hope you enjoy this chapter****!**_

_**Animallover: Yeah, I like Flare. I don't think she's a bad person. You get more of an insight into what Gray is feeling next chapter.**_

_**Obscurewriter05: Yay, I'm glad!**_

_**CupcakeGirl633: I don't know why I give Lucy such a hard time in my fics, I really don't. Poor girl. I'm glad you're liking it so far!**_

_**TheMuncher101: Of course! There's still (at least) 13 chapters to go!**_

_**Fairygirl1101: Few of Zeref's merfolk can sing actually! But you'll find out more about their abilities later on in the story. Thank you very much by the way for going through and reviewing almost every chapter so far, that means a lot! Also, in response to your review on chapter 4, Freed is unaffected by Lucy's song because he's gay. (in my fic at least)**_

_** : I hope six stars is good! And any friend of Marina's is a friend of mine :D**_

_**Alchemicgoddess15: Glad you like it!**_

_**12Rayne: I was hoping someone would notice her death meant he's lost her twice! Yeah, I'm a sucker for a tragedy. **_

_**Bakafangirl: Eep, thank you! Sorry for the delay.**_


	8. The Taste Of You

To Live Or To Drown – Chapter Eight

The Taste Of You

A sharp pressure on his chest ripped him from the blackness.

Natsu sat up abruptly as he coughed up the water from his lungs, a hand slapping his back to make sure he got it all out of his system.

"Natsu, are you alright?" The owner of the hand asked.

It was Erza, her voice and expression filled with worry. He nodded as he regained his breath, leaning heavily against the wooden deck. Other members of his crew crowded around them while still giving him enough room to breathe, all of their faces just as worried as Erza's. Even Juvia and Gajeel looked concerned.

The sight of them made him forget all about his trouble breathing, his mind snapping back to reality.

"Lucy?" He looked around frantically. The last thing he remembered with certain clarity was leaning into her touch as she caressed his cheek. He also thought he remembered the blood from his knuckles in the water between them, and her eyes growing wide at the sight. He didn't know what that meant, so he cast the thought aside as a delusion, "Lucy, where is she?"

"Natsu, relax," Erza reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder firmly to keep him still, "She's fine. She's safe."

"But where _is _she?"

Ignoring the protests of his friends, Natsu stood. He swayed slightly once he got to his feet, black spots appearing in his vision, but he remained upright and made his way to the railings. The crowd parted to let him through, but something grasped his ankle.

He almost tripped as he turned to angrily stare at what had caught him. It was Gajeel. He'd moved along the deck like a serpent to stop Natsu, clasping his ankle in a firm grip. The metal-studded merman looked angry.

"My friend has saved your life _twice,_" He growled, "And all you seem to want to do is throw it back in her face. I won't sit here and let you throw yourself into the ocean again, kid. Lucy wants you alive, so stay that way. If not for her, then for your friends."

Natsu's crew nodded in agreement. Guilt churned in his stomach at Gajeel's words. He must seem ungrateful. Stupid, even. But his heart seemed to pull him to Lucy, wherever she was. Even if it was a thousand leagues under the sea. The pull hurt so much at times that it was difficult to ignore.

Sometimes he just wanted it to stop.

"I'm… I'm sorry." He sighed to his crew as Gajeel released his grip, "I know I've been reckless- more so than usual- but I just… this feeling, I can't-"

He cut himself off with a shaky breath, and a hand squeezed his own from below. Juvia was sitting behind him, her tail curled beneath her.

"We know, Natsu. We know."

Juvia's voice was gentle, but it carried with it a note of sorrow. She held on to his hand but she wasn't looking at him. He followed her gaze, and it was then that he noticed the sadness that polluted the air despite their victory.

Across the deck, one body stood out from the litter of unconscious enemies. She lay in Gray's arms, her skin pale despite the burns. His second sat in the pool of her blood, staring in horror at the knife that protruded from her chest.

Natsu remembered the hope that had filled Gray's eyes when they'd discovered Ultear, the girl that had been a sister to him in all but blood, had been revived as a mermaid too. Gray had been filled with the same conviction to save her as Natsu had with Lucy. The two of them forgot their childish rivalry for a short while as they united their efforts to save those they loved.

But for Gray, it was all in vain.

The very _thought _that Natsu may lose Lucy twice had filled him with so much pain. Now Gray was suffering through it all himself. And for him, it was real. It was so much worse than the mere idea of it.

He watched, helpless, as Gray clutched at the body of his transformed sister and sobs racked his body. Beside him, Meredy and Jellal wept also, but their combined grief was too much to offer any of them each other's comfort. Meredy clutched at Ultear's hand, whispering her dead friends name over and over through her tears. Jellal pulled at his hair as he wept silently, his eyes filled with guilt and sorrow.

Hesitantly, Natsu made his way over to his grieving second. He kneeled before the weeping boy, careful not to tread on the long dark hair matted with blood that flared across the deck. Ultear's eyes were still open, and Natsu fought hard to repress a shiver as he reached out a hand and clasped his friends shoulder.

Gray's head snapped up at the touch, but he didn't pull away. He looked at Natsu with bloodshot eyes, tears still streaming down his face.

"You were right," Gray's voice was hoarse, "We should have come sooner."

Unable to hold his gaze, Natsu looked away. He didn't know what to say. He couldn't help but feel some of the blame himself. He'd said they should have left sooner, but what had he really done to set the sails on time? Nothing. He'd been reminiscing about the past and rearing for a fight as Lucy had been tortured.

As Ultear had been killed.

"I-I'm so sorry," A voice seemed to echo his thoughts, "So sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

The words soon turned into a wail, and Natsu turned to find the source of regret.

A red-haired girl sat chained and cowering behind Laxus. She was one of the few crew-members that had regained consciousness, but unlike the others she was shaking and teary eyed. Bickslow tugged at her chains and urged her to be quiet. She whimpered and complied.

Natsu spared one last glance as his grieving friend before making his way over to them. Laxus and his team had taken it upon themselves to see to the enemy crew. Chaining them all and providing a beating when necessary. They planned on depositing the crew of The Alexei into the hands of the authorities on the journey home.

"Hey, go easy on this one alright?" Natsu urged Laxus and his team, "She saved Lucy."

He was grateful to this girl, although he didn't know her. If not for her, Lucy would be dead. He kneeled down so that their eyes were level. She looked more than a little afraid, but he offered her a warm smile.

"Thank you." He told her.

Her shoulders seemed to slump in relief, and she gave him a small smile of her own in return before growing serious.

"Blondie, the one you call Lucy, she is kind," The girl told him and he nodded, "She did not deserve this. I'm sorry."

She grew teary-eyed once more as her gaze drifted behind him to Ultear. She was the only member of the whole grew that seemed to regret what had happened on this ship.

"Lucy is brave," The girl continued, "Lucy is good."

_Far too good for me_, he thought.

But he'd always known that.

* * *

The heat pressed down on him as Natsu made his way to the cove on the south side of the island.

It had been a few days since he and his crew had returned from their battle with The Alexei, and he had yet to be reunited with Lucy. He understood that she would need time to heal, but every day he grew more and more anxious to see her. He ran into Juvia on the beach sometimes –she often came to the island in search of Gray- and she reassured him countless times that Lucy was fine. But he wanted to see it for himself. He wanted to _know. _

He was grateful to Juvia to relaying the information to him though. He was grateful to her for other things too. He'd thanked her many times for saving him that day, but what he was really thankful for was her kindness to Gray.

Upon their return to the island, Gray had isolated himself. He'd chosen to grieve alone, and the rest of the guild respected that decision. He often wandered the island by himself, shunning anyone's attempts at consolation. Even Juvia's too, to begin with. Natsu had heard the dark haired boy shouting at her to leave him alone from his ship, but Juvia had persisted. Whenever Gray got near enough to the water, she'd be there.

He'd seen them once. They were sitting on the rocks on the shore, Gray letting the water slap against his feet as Juvia came to sit beside him. Natsu had watched, hidden behind the treeline as they sat there. They didn't touch, didn't speak. Just shared each other's company.

And, gradually, Gray had started to become a little more like himself again.

Natsu approached the cliffside he needed to scale down in order to reach the cove, flexing his fingers before gripping at the rock. It didn't take him half as long to descend as it had the first time he'd gone in search of Lucy. He came here regularly now, hoping to catch another glimpse of her.

But he did not find the mermaid he was looking for.

Instead, he found Jellal and Meredy sitting quietly on the rocks. They turned at his entrance and he offered them a friendly wave. Jellal nodded in reply, but Meredy retreated into the water.

"Sorry about that," Jellal apologised for her, "She doesn't mean it, she's never really been fond of humans. Y'know, even though she was one."

Natsu didn't know what the two of them had done with Ultear's body after they'd prised it from Gray's trembling fingers and dragged it with them back into the ocean. He'd thought that would be the last he'd see of the former trio, since they were enemies of the others. But surprisingly, they had spurned their own kind. Turning away from those who did nothing to save one of their own.

Without anywhere else to go, they'd followed his ship back to the island. Natsu wasn't the first to have found them lingering. Erza had reported their presence on the island not long after their return, and Natsu knew she checked in on them often. She carried with her bags of fish whenever she went to meet them, as though they couldn't catch them on their own, but they always refused her offers. He didn't know why.

"You're looking for Lucy aren't you?" Jellal asked as Natsu waded through the shallow waters to sit on the rocks beside him.

He took in Jellal's appearance before nodding in reply. The merman was thin, his ribs protruding from beneath pale skin. He looked exhausted. Natsu wasn't sure if it was simply the grief taking its toll or if it was a result of something else.

"What was Lucy like, when she was human?" The merman asked.

The question surprised him. Other members of the guild had asked about Lucy since his secret had come to light, but none of his new aquatic acquaintances had. As far as Juvia and Gajeel were concerned, they knew her already. And her past was her own, even if she didn't remember it.

"She was…" Natsu began, not quite knowing where to start, "She was kind, sweet. Smart, but not arrogant about it. Not to mention she was beautiful. Still is."

Jellal hummed in response.

"I don't know Lucy very well, we're not friends," He admitted, "But what I do know of her is that she's brave, fierce. Incredibly loyal too."

"That sounds like her." Natsu smiled.

"We tried to convince her to join us once. Our efforts were in vain. Despite the fact that she wavered I could tell she wouldn't become like us. She's too good for that."

"I don't understand," Natsu admitted, "I know your clan and Lucy's are enemies, but why? What separates you from them?"

"Our teachings," Jellal's expression turned grim, "Our leaders."

"Tell me." Natsu urged.

"Natsu, you must understand," Jellal pleaded with him, "I do not want to be this monster anymore."

"And you're not, right? You left your clan."

"It's not that simple." Jellal sighed.

To Natsu, the merman seemed to be warring with himself. He knew from Jellal's expression that the details of the explanation he wanted wouldn't be pleasant, but he wanted to know. Jellal, the clans, their teachings, that was all a part of Lucy's world. He wanted to understand it better.

"Lucy and I are the same in that we were not always what we are," Jellal began, his gaze fixed on some undetermined point in the distance, "We have both been revived, but that's where the similarities end. I can't speak for Lucy of course, but when I was revived, it was confusing. I awoke to darkness and I could feel the water in my lungs, but it didn't hurt. The pain from dying lingered a bit, and it was the thought at the front of my mind. I should have been dead, but I wasn't."

Jellal sighed again before straightening his back, as though preparing himself to continue his tale. He still didn't look at Natsu.

"The only thing I could remember was my name, once the pain abated a bit, that is. Then I realised there was something wrong with my legs. I was still in the darkness. I couldn't see, but I could _feel _something was different about my body," As he spoke he ran his webbed fingers along his tail before turning his hand over and splaying his fingers, revealing the membrane in between, "Imagine my surprise when they turned on the light.

"Lucy's revival is likely to have been kinder," Jellal continued, "She was reborn into a better colony. One of light and prosperity. She lives under Mavis's rule. I live under Zeref's. Or rather, I did. It is a foolish wish, but I would very much like it if I could join Lucy and the others and live under Mavis. But they will not take someone as tainted as me. I know it."

"So your leaders, Mavis and Zeref," Natsu wondered, "They're enemies?"

"Oh, it is so much more than that Natsu," Jellal chuckled dryly, "You remember I said that the teachings of our colonies differ? Well, when your dearest Lucy was being taught to heal and preserve life, we were taught to destroy it."

"What do you mean?"

"To be revived by Zeref is to be made a monster," Jellal explained, finally turning his eyes to Natsu, "After my revival, they chained me. I was locked in a cell with Meredy and Ultear. We did not understand. They left us there- I don't know how long. We lost track of time. We grew weaker and weaker, rotting away in our new bodies. Just when we thought we might die, they opened the cells. They let us out. They fed us."

Something ominous in Jellal's voice made Natsu ask:

"What did they feed you?"

"Humans."

Jellal filled the word with disgust. His face set itself in a grimace as the words sank in. Natsu didn't even have the good sense to back away from him, he was so frozen in shock.

"They handed it to me, torn bits of flesh that seeped blood into the water, and I dug in. We all did." Jellal continued, hanging his head in shame, "I didn't know what it was at the time. I remember turning to the guards and saying, 'This is _amazing. _This is excellent'. I asked them what it was, and they looked at me and laughed. I finished the morsel they'd given me and that's when they told me. 'It is flesh', they said, 'Fresh from a shipwreck. The mortals screamed as we tore it from them'."

Natsu felt bile rise in his throat. He backed away from Jellal, sliding off the rock and into the shallow water. All of his instincts were screaming at him to run, but he sensed Jellal wasn't finished. His morbid curiosity wanted to know.

"I felt disgust," Jellal's voice was filled with self-loathing, "But only for a moment. I had one second of regret before I yearned for more. That's how I have spent my new life. Thirsting for blood. Killing for the taste of it. I still yearn for it now. That taste."

Jellal's shoulders hunched as his curled in on himself. Hatred for himself and what he'd done rolled off him in waves. Natsu thought about running, he still had his chance, but the severity of Jellal's regret stopped him.

He looked the merman over once more. The dull scales, the protruding ribs, the pale skin.

Jellal was starving himself.

He was a monster, but he didn't want to be one anymore.

"How long has it been?" Natsu asked hesitantly, "Since you ate… someone?"

"A while," Jellal answered vaguely, "Before Ultear's death."

"You can't do this to yourself, Jellal. You'll die."

"I will not do it again!" Jellal screamed, and Natsu realised the merman was shaking, "I refuse to be that monster anymore. What has Zeref done for me? For Ultear? For anyone in his clan? I will not be a slave to him any longer."

"But you can't-"

"Even now, Natsu," Jellal cut him off, and when the starving merman turned to face him, his features were contorted. His teeth sharpened and his eyes turning red, "Even now I want it. I can your heart beating, even from here. It is why Meredy left- she can't resist. We are dangerous to be around. This whole time we've been talking has been a test of my strength. I can't describe to you the desperate _need _I feel to rip your heart from your chest and devour it."

"But you didn't." Natsu fought to keep his voice unafraid. Hearing someone that you thought was a friend saying they wanted to eat you wasn't very reassuring. But, surprisingly, he had faith in Jellal. Even if he himself didn't. "You're not a monster Jellal. You're fighting this."

Jellal's face morphed back into his usual solemn features, and he gazed at Natsu with an expression the pink haired boy couldn't read for a long while before he eventually spoke.

"Lucy is lucky. She was revived by a better leader." Jellal's expression was unyielding, "But I wonder; if she hadn't been so lucky, would you still love her?"

Natsu's mind drifted back to the thought he'd cast aside after he'd awoken on the deck of The Alexei. Lucy's eyes widening as his blood drifted through the water. His stomach filled with dread. Was it really so easy for her kind to be tempted?

He shook his head. No. Lucy is stronger than that. Lucy may not be human anymore, but she wasn't a monster. She could never be a monster to him.

"Lucy would never-" He began firmly, then winced. His words sounded like he was implying that Jellal was weak.

Jellal misinterpreted the wince.

"Love is dangerous, Natsu." Jellal warned, "I can see it in your eyes. If Lucy wanted your blood, you'd give it to her."

He didn't have the chance to deny it, and he wasn't sure he would anyway. Before he could reply, Jellal pushed himself off the rock and sank into the water.

Natsu was about to head back to the guild when he resurfaced.

"One more thing Natsu," Jellal called to him, "That girl, the red haired one who brings us food? Tell her not to. Keep her away."

And with that, he disappeared.

* * *

_The room was filled with bright lights and people dressed in every colour. He made his way through the crowd, the mask he wore digging into his cheekbones and his shoes digging into his feet. Well, they weren't his shoes. He'd paid some guy in the bar back at the inn thirty jewels to borrow them for the night, and as a result they were a size too small. _

_He grinned at his own cunning. His plan had been barely thought out, but it had worked. He'd gotten in. Even without a suit jacket, he looked presentable. And all he'd really needed was the mask. _

_It was a simple mask. Black with intricate red and orange flames dancing along the edges. He'd swiped it off a man who had gotten drunk way too early and passed out in the gutter outside the grand hotel. _

_Natsu's heart stopped when he spotted her._

_Even with the mask, he knew it was her. Her golden hair was pinned up with clips adorned with shining blue stones that glinted in the light. Her dress was long and elegant, the white fabric hanging off her shoulders and clinging to her curves. See drew the glances of everyone in the room, but she stood alone in the middle of the floor. Couples dancing twirled around her as she stood with her back to him. _

_He manoeuvred through the dancers with ease, ignoring the curious glances he got as he made his way toward the belle of the ball. _

_He came up behind her, unnoticed. He expected he'd catch her by surprise, but when he rested a hand on her hip and lazily trailed it forward she showed no sign of being startled. Drawing his right arm over her stomach he pulled her towards him, her back flush against his chest as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the crook of her neck. _

"_Would you like to dance?" He breathed against her skin, lips lingering on her neck._

"_Natsu," She breathed as his free hand clasped the one that hung at her side, "You shouldn't be here."_

"_Did you really think I could stay away?" He smiled against her skin before kissing her neck again as she leaned back into him. Her head fell back against his shoulder. Neither of them cared about the looks they were getting from the dancing couples surrounding them. They were too absorbed in each other. _

"_My dad is going to-"_

Natsu woke with a start from his dream of a memory at the sound of hammering on his door.

He ignored it, groaning as he closed his eyes and tried to drift back into the dream.

The hammering sounded again, harder this time.

Natsu all but screamed as he sat up abruptly and cast off his sheets. Happy gave a startled yelp and fell to the floor as he stood, but Natsu was too angry at being woken to notice.

He stormed over to his cabin door and flung it open.

"WHAT?" He bellowed.

There was no one in front of him.

"Ahem." A cough sounded.

Natsu looked down to find the Master looking up at him with an annoyed expression.

"What d'ya want Gramps?" Natsu scowled.

"Come with me." The Master ordered before turning on his heel and retreating up the stairs to the deck.

Confused, Natsu followed. He didn't have time to go back into his quarters and retrieve a shirt. He barely managed to retrieve his scarf from where it lay by his bed. Although he did manage to mumble an apology to Happy before darting after the Master.

For a guy with tiny legs, Makarov sure had a fast pace. Natsu found himself breaking into a light jog across his deck in order to catch up.

"Where are we going?" Natsu asked as he wrapped his scarf around his neck.

"You'll see." Was all Makarov offered.

Natsu shrugged and followed the Master. He wasn't surprised when the old man brought him to the guild hall- which was practically empty this early in the morning- but he was surprised when the Master led him behind the bar and into his office.

He'd only been in this room a few times before, but he didn't have time to marvel at the decorations from across the world that sat all around the room as the Master pulled back possibly the ugliest rug Natsu had ever seen in his life, revealing a trap door underneath.

"What in the hell?" Natsu voiced his confusion as the Master opened the hatch.

Makarov offered no explanation as he descended down the ladder.

_Guess I should follow then, _Natsu thought.

Sure enough, the Master was waiting for him at the bottom of the ladder. Natsu looked around the underground space. They were in a narrow tunnel that looked as though it had been dug out many years ago. It was dark down here, with only one torch hanging on the wall. The Master removed the torch from its place by the ladder and proceeded down the tunnel.

Natsu followed, and he followed for a while. The tunnel seemed to go on for miles. Multiple times he asked the old man where they were going, be he never once offered him an answer.

Eventually, they reached the end of the tunnel. They came to a stop in front of a wooden door, and Natsu took hold of the torch as the Master fumbled with the lock.

His confusion only grew when the Master took back the torch and opened the door, but did not enter. Instead, he gestured for Natsu to do so.

Hesitantly, Natsu stuck his head in. It was light in the room, or rather, the cavern. Sunlight streamed down from a hole in the ceiling, hitting the water of a circular pool below and reflecting off its surface to illuminate the small space.

Natsu stepped into the room, looking into the water. It was clean, but deep. He couldn't see the bottom. He was just about to ask the Master what was down there when the door closed behind him.

He heard the lock snap shut.

"Gramps! What the hell?!" Natsu shouted as he banged on the door.

_What on earth was going on?!_

After hammering on the door for a good ten minutes, Natsu gave up and paced around the pool. He leaned against the wall when he was opposite the door. Staring at it and waiting for it to open.

Nothing happened.

He sighed and slid down the rocky wall. He crossed his legs, resting his elbow on his knee and leaning his head against his hand. Nothing to do but wait.

And he didn't have to wait long.

He'd been staring so intently at the door that he barely noticed when a head emerged quietly from the water.

Natsu watched as the figure took in their surroundings, her wet hair glistening in the sunlight. When her head finally turned in his direction, his heart stopped.

"Lucy?" He breathed.

They gazed at each other in shock.

Then, instincts took over.

He scrambled to the water's edge just as she surged forward. With one arm she lifted herself out of the water, her other hand coming up to grip his scarf as he took her face in his hands and their lips collided.

It felt like she was giving him life all over again. She pulled him closer by his scarf and the whole world was this kiss. Her soft lips clashed against his own, both of them needy and breathless.

"You're alright," Lucy sighed in relief as he drew back slightly, still letting him hold her face in his hands, "You're alright."

"Of course I'm alright," He grinned as he leaned his forehead against hers. He realised she was crying and brushed the tears away with his thumbs, "I should be the one crying with relief."

Lucy laughed through her tears.

"I'm fine Natsu. Truly, I am."

A warmth spread through him at the sound of his name on her lips. It had been so long since he'd heard that, the sound was like a caress of his soul. She said it with so much joy and love, even when she didn't remember him.

She didn't remember him.

He drew back once more, further this time. His hands leaving her delicate skin.

"Natsu, what's wrong?" She asked.

She pulled herself further out of the water in order to sit with him more comfortably, and it was then that he saw her tail. Although healed, there were still scales missing. And despite the fact that he'd told himself many times that it was okay that Lucy wasn't human anymore- as long as she was still alive- the sight was still a shock to him.

He couldn't help but remember the feeling of her legs wrapped around him as he realised he would never experience that again.

"I'm sorry," He said, forcing himself back into reality, "I-I shouldn't have kissed you. I shouldn't have presumed-"

"Natsu," She cut him off, smiling at him softly, "You can kiss me all you like."

He smiled back and leaned in. He watched her close her eyes, her lips parting slightly when the memory flashed through him.

"_Is that why she saved him?" Mira asked, "Because she loves him?"_

"_No," Juvia admitted, "Lucy doesn't remember her human life."_

"Lucy," He spoke instead of kissing her, although he didn't move away, "You don't have to. Just because I… just because _we_… What I'm trying to say is; if you don't remember. It's alright. You don't have to love me."

Her expression was soft as she leaned her forehead against his once more. Just like they used to.

"I don't remember much," She confessed, "But I remember that I love you." His breathing hitched, "I remembered the moment I saw you, even if I didn't know it."

They kissed again, slow this time. She tasted different than he remembered, but he didn't care. Her lips felt the same. Her body still fitted against his as they pressed themselves closer together, his hand reaching around to press against the small of her back.

"What _do _you remember?" He asked curiously once they drew apart.

"I remember our first kiss," She giggled slightly, "I remember you singing to me, the morning after…"

Her cheeks turned as pink as her tail.

"The morning after the best night of my life." He finished for her with a devilish grin.

She looked away as she continued to blush, but her smile soon fell.

Her expression turned to a grimace just before she withdrew from him, removing the arm he'd draped around her and shuffling away.

"You shouldn't be here Natsu." She frowned. Her sad eyes made the words merely an echo of his dream that morning.

"Did you really think I could stay away?" He replied, hoping the words would trigger the memory as he moved closer to her.

"You should," She told him, pressing her hands against his chest when he got too close, "You should be with someone of your own kind."

Her words shocked him.

"You _are _my kind." His voice rose slightly in panic, clasping her hands in his. He was being selfish, he knew. What hope was there for them? He'd thought they were part of different worlds before, but this was a whole new level. It was physically impossible, and yet he still couldn't let her go. "I don't care what you are, you are _mine. _Just as I am yours."

"Yours," She mumbled as she let him lean in closer, his gaze flickering from her eyes to her lips and back again, "There are worst things to be."

He'd never been good with words, so instead he kissed her once more. He put everything he had into it, all his emotions. His loss, his grief, his love, his relief, his joy, his _need. _And his heart soared when she kissed him back.

He felt the tips of her fingers hesitantly graze his cheek as they paused for breath. He leaned into her touch, causing her to kiss him with a renewed vigour. Her lips parted as he tugged on her hair gently, urging her to tilt her head back. She complied, and he used the moment to slip his tongue into her mouth.

His tongue scarped against her teeth and she _growled. _The noise surprised him, but he did not relent. Not even as she pushed him back, hard. His bare back colliding with the ground as she pressed her torso against his own, her skin still wet and slippery.

She wound her fingers in his hair and tugged as he had before. He leaned his head back, expecting another heated kiss. But instead her lips went to his throat.

And she froze.

Her head snapped up, and her eyes were no longer filled with passion. They were filled with fear, and he suspected they mirrored his own emotions.

Because her eyes were red.

It was then that he realised his tongue was bleeding.

Lucy scrambled off him, retreating back into the water as her eyes faded back to their normal brown and her breaths came in ragged pants.

"Lucy. Lucy, it's alright-"He sat up and reached for her, but she backed away in the water. Holding her hands up in a gesture for him to stay away.

"No, no it isn't." She cried, "We shouldn't see each other again. Not until I find it."

"Find what?" He asked but she ignored him, continuing her panicked tirade.

"It'll be safer for you. I won't come here again. Not until I've got it."

"Lucy, _please_," He begged, "Get what? Don't leave! No-"

But with one last pained looked, Lucy disappeared. Leaving him to wonder what she searched for.

Leaving him to wonder just how much blood it took to turn you into a monster.

* * *

**A/N: AAhh! I just had to update this again before I went away! I don't know what it is but last chapter was really well received, and now it has over 100 followers?! WHAT?! It even got notes on tumblr, I can't believe it! Hello to all new readers! Where have you come from?! How did you stumble across my humble fic? Let me know!**

**I know I say it a lot but I really am surprised that people like my stories. Never in the world would I have thought that 100 people would like my work. I wouldn't even have thought 10 would! Thank you to everyone so much and I hope this chapter didn't let you down. I'm so bad at writing kisses!**

**Much Love,**

**-HN**

* * *

_**Reviewer Responses:**_

_**Rivendell101: THIS ONE IS FOR YOU HUN. Hope you liked it!**_

_**Kinsutenekochan: No need to apologise! I'm just happy that you enjoy it **_

_**Guest: Dry you tears! Hope you aren't too overwhelmed by feels this chapter!**_

_**Bakafangirl: Nothing like some good suspense ;D THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR YOUR COVER SUBMISSIONS YOU AMAZING HUMAN BEING YOU. **_

_**Kisstheskyx: Your words are so kind, thank you so much! Sorry for the tears though hehehe. Omg thank you again your words mean so much!**_

_**Fairygirl1101: Sorry you had to wait about for the continuation of the cliffhanger with this chapter! I was scared that might annoy some people but I didn't want to leave a hole in Natsu's narrative about the last few days. Ooo I've never read a mermaid trilogy, I hope I'm not ripping anyone off :p**_

_**P3pp3rmintt: Aahh Thank you so much!**_

_**Athena8283: More feels! (I hope) Glad you liked it :D**_

_**Guest: Thank you!**_


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